#she leans into the medium side of the business

[leglessstreetlights]

fleshing out my Relativity Au some more, i fujking love these guys, they're so-

part 1/ part 2

[luxaofhesperides]

“You know, I never realized how true the ‘eyes are the windows to your soul’ thing was until I saw yours.” + fluff + cafe AU ; requested by @kiv1!

He’s sure Danny didn’t expect to see him every other day after he casually mentioned that he had gotten a part time job at a local cafe. However, as his friend, it is Duke’s moral duty to only get coffee from that shop while Danny is on shift, specifically to annoy him. 

Also, so he can support his friend, but being annoying takes priority.

It’s a routine now, for both of them. Danny clocks in for his shift and an hour later Duke is strolling into the cafe with his eyes locked on Danny’s. The rest of the baristas always shove Danny up to the register when they see Duke, taking over whatever order he was making. Even some of the other regulars turn their attention up to the counter, hoping for another few minutes of entertainment.

Danny sighs as he gets ready to input Duke’s order. It’s never the same one, because Duke would hate to be predictable and make things easier for Danny, but it has the side effect of making him realize that some of the expensive, seasonal drinks are really good. 

It’s a bit hard on his wallet, but it’s a price he’s willing to pay for teasing Danny. 

“Hey,” he greets cheerfully as he leans against the counter, grinning at Danny.

Danny sighs again. “What can I get you today, random customer that keeps bothering me.”

“A latte, but make it sweet somehow. And iced.”

“What size would you like?”

“Let’s go with medium today.”

“Anything else?”

“Yeah.” Duke leans closer to Danny, watching as he fights down a smile. “I just gotta say that you got gorgeous eyes. You know, I never realized how true the ‘eyes are the window to your soul thing’ was until I saw yours.”

Danny considers this for a moment, then shakes his head. “It kind of sounds like your trying to steal my soul through my eyes.”

“Why is that what your mind goes to?”

“Well. I watched Coraline last night.”

Duke stares at Danny, taking in the dark circles under his eyes. “...Didn’t you say that movie gave you nightmares as a kid?”

“Yeah! And it turns out, it gives me nightmares even now!”

“And ruined my pick up line,” Duke complains playfully.

“It was too cheesy anyways,” Danny replies, putting Duke’s order into the screen. It prints a moment later, no doubt with some bizarre name since Danny refuses to actually name Duke on his orders, and then recites the price. 

He pays and watches as Danny slaps the order onto a medium sized up, then tosses it over to the barista making the drinks. He’s not actually sure what her name is since she refuses to wear a name tag, but she always gives him a wave and also a rating of how good his pick up lines are.

“Seven out of ten!” she calls out to him today, then gets started on making his drink.

“I don’t see why you don’t flirt with anyone else,” Danny says, “I’m pretty sure my coworkers like your pick up lines even more than they like me.”

“Why would I want to flirt with them? Danny, I’m literally only here to bother you.”

Danny rolls his eyes. “Yeah, trust me, I know. My good looks just keep pulling in business.”

He says it like a joke, but it’s true. Duke has noticed it. Danny’s coworkers have noticed it. His manager noticed it and now has him out on the floor every shift. If they can get him to work on the chalkboard sign outside, or wipe down the two tables out front, then they do it, because Danny is Midwestern to his core and it’s very charming in a place like Gotham. He smiles at people as they walk by, happily answers their questions when they ask him what the cafe serves, recommends food and drinks for them, is generally a bright and nice person to everyone who comes near the cafe. 

His cute looks draw people in, then his personality makes them stay. 

It’s all customer service, of course, because Duke never gets the cute, sunny Danny. He’s left with the sarcastic, rude, and funny Danny that’s been his friend since they met in junior year of high school. 

“Your eyes are really pretty, though,” Duke says, “Very blue. Sometimes green. It’s no wonder people keep falling for you!”

Danny reaches across the counter to shove Duke away, but he’s blushing, so Duke is counting it as a win. “Shut up. Now you’re just lying. My eyes are never green.”

“Yes, they are. Danny, I’ve seen them multiple times. They’re green sometimes.”

“No? My eyes have literally only ever been blue. They’re the bluest blue to ever blue. They don’t just turn green.”

They squint at each other for a long moment, trying to figure out who’s wrong and in what way. Duke’s pretty sure Danny’s wrong, since he can’t exactly see his own eyes, and Duke has spent an embarrassing amount of time just admiring how nice they are in different kinds of light. But also, they are Danny’s eyes, so he should know what color they are.

Then Danny’s coworker is setting down Duke’s drink on the pick up counter, giving Danny an excuse to get back to work.

“One medium oatmeal cookie iced latte for Cornelius Aggravating Douglas.” He holds up the drink and makes very direct eye contact with Duke, holding out the drink towards him.

“Did you really have to make the initials ‘Cad’?”

“Yes.”

“Fair enough,” Duke says, making Danny crack a smile. 

“Are you heading out after this?”

Duke grabs a straw and sticks it into his latte, swirling it around some. “That was the plan, yeah. Got a few library books to pick up. Why?”

“I got approval for a half shift today, so I’m off in like ten minutes, if you wanna wait for me.”

“Hell yeah, dude! I’ll wait outside so I don’t distract you with my flirtatious winks again.”

“Get out of here,” Danny laughs. Duke lifts his drink in a quick toast, then gets out of there. He takes a seat at one of the tables out front, content to just people watch as he slowly sips his latte.  

It’s cloudy out, but not raining, which is always a plus. As much as he’d like to see the sun, these kinds of days aren’t so bad, either. The wind still carries a bit of a chill, but the spring is steadily warming things up. There are tons of people out, a constant rush of movement, but a few do catch sight of him, then look towards the cafe, their steps slowing down as they think. Most keep walking, but Duke does manage to get a few to go in just by taking a long sip of his latte to really enjoy it.

Really, he should be getting compensated for the work he’s doing to draw people in. Danny’s not the only one who can do it. 

Bruce keeps offering him money, so he doesn’t need to get paid, but maybe he can convince the other employees to talk Danny into accepting one of his pick up lines so they can go on a date one of these days. 

It’s become a bit of a joke, but the first time Duke used a cheesy pick up line on Danny, he was being absolutely serious about it. He definitely shouldn’t have used a pick up line he found from a website centered on relationship advice, but he panicked and needed some extra help. 

Instead of smoothly asking Danny out on a date, Duke froze up, blurted out the pick up line, then had to laugh it off with Danny and pretend it was a joke. 

He still wishes he was able to ask Danny out properly before, but he’s also glad that they got to spend more time as friends, getting to know each other. It’s easier to be with him now, no longer so tongue tied and flustered. 

Duke gets to fluster Danny now, which is much better. 

And maybe one day his pick up lines will work! Sooner or later Danny’s going to question why he keeps doing this, and then he’ll connect the dots and understand what Duke feels for him.

As it is, he has yet to connect shit. 

“My eyes are definitely blue,” Danny says as he walks out of the cafe, messenger bag slung over his shoulder. “I checked while I was putting my apron away.”

“You’re still on that?”

“They’re blue.”

Duke gestures for Danny to come closer. He complies and leans down, letting Duke cup his face in his hands. He checks, considers, then checks again, and says, “They are indeed blue.”

“Told you they weren’t green,” Danny says smugly, pulling back. 

“And I said they were green sometimes. Now clearly isn’t one of those times, but they do turn green!”

“I don’t think you should be allowed to say any eye-related pick up lines until you admit that you were wrong and didn’t know my eye color.”

Shaking his head, Duke stands up and pushes in his chair. “Just wait, I’ll catch it sometime and prove it to you.”

“Sure, whatever. Don’t you have library books to get?”

“Yeah, you coming with?”

“Obviously. Why else would I leave my wonderful job where I am left alone to make drinks in peace?” Danny knocks his shoulder against Duke playfully, then reaches over and steals his drink right out of his hand. He takes a sip, makes a pleased hum, and drains half of what was left in the cup. 

“Hey!” Duke moves to take it back, which is naturally the exact moment Danny takes off running, effortlessly dodging everyone else on the sidewalk. He takes off after Danny, using his powers to make sure he can move out of the way of anything or anyone who gets in his path. 

They’re past the block when Danny starts to slow down, taking another sip of Duke’s latte. 

He puts on a final burst of speed and all but tackles Danny into the mouth of an alley, reaching for his cup. “Gotcha!”

“No!” Danny wails dramatically. He takes a step back and Duke watches as his power kicks up again, showing him a vision of Danny stepping on an empty can and falling back. Except he doesn’t really fall back? His foot rolls back on the can for a second, then goes through the can and settles back onto the ground where he catches his balance. Through the entire three second fall, Danny’s eyes are a bright green, brighter than Duke’s ever seen them.

His vision fades away and he moves to catch Danny, taking the chance to watch carefully as Danny’s foot does indeed go through the can. He quickly brings his gaze up to Danny’s eyes, which are green, but not inhumanly bright like they were in his vision.

Is the green not perceptible to normal humans?

He can probably only see it due to his powers. Which means he somewhat inadvertently outed himself as a meta.

Whoops!

Might as well just bite the bullet.

“Hey, do you have powers?” 

Danny chokes, shoving Duke away as he coughs and tries to clear his throat. He looks panicked, wild-eyed, searching for an escape route. “What? No. Why would I have powers? Maybe you have powers, have you ever considered that?”

“I mean. I do have powers. That’s why I’m asking.”

“Hold up. Stop talking. You have powers?”

“And your eyes are green sometimes.”

“That’s. No, they’re not,” Danny lies. It’s a very bad lie, seeing how on edge he is, and as much as Duke hates making Danny feel like that, he did get some bad habits while training with Bruce and this is one of them: the need to keep pushing, chasing after clear answers regardless of what the cost is. 

Duke shrugs, taking a sip of his latte, down to its last few mouthfuls, acting casual. “If you say so. But my powers don’t lie, man. As much as I wish they would, sometimes.”

“...Can we not do this out here?” The defeated tone Danny speaks with makes Duke hate himself. But he needs answers now. He needs to know if Danny is like him, if he’s safe, if he needs help. He needs it more than he needs Danny to like him at all. 

“Sure. I know a few quiet places we can talk.”

“I can’t believe this is happening,” Danny mutters. “Did my eyes really give it away?”

“Yeah. I mean, to be fair, I also didn’t realize until literally right now, so I don’t think anyone else will figure it out just from staring into your eyes.”

“See, this is what happens when you keep flirting when you don’t mean it. Secrets get pulled out into the open and it’s bad for everyone!”

Duke lightly punches Danny’s arm, trying to lift the mood. “Hey, who said I didn’t mean it?”

“What?”

“Who said I didn’t mean it when I flirt with you?”

Danny blinks at him, confused, then says, “I mean, no one I guess. But it’s pretty obvious?”

“I only flirt with you, you know.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah,” Duke says, trying to ignore how his voice shakes slightly. “There’s another one of my secrets. Can we call it even now?”

“Oh!” The shock of the revelation distracts Danny from his earlier nerves. Which is great, because now Duke is the one who’s nervous. It’s worth it, though, seeing the pretty blush come to bloom on Danny’s cheeks. “So all those pick up lines—”

“Yeah.”

“And the pick up line made you realize my powers!” 

“These pick up lines are doing the most,” Duke agrees. And then he realizes, “Hey, you what this means? I was right! Your eyes are windows to your soul!”

“I’m going to hit you,” Danny says, already winding back for a solid punch. He lets Danny hit him since it’s only fair for the stress he caused; as a meta, Duke knows how important secrecy is, how the difference between life and death can be just how well his powers are hidden. 

“Are we even now?”

Danny considers him for a moment, then sighs. “Yeah, I guess. Let’s be done with this for now, okay? Let’s go to the library.”

He refuses to entertain any conversation about powers or Duke’s feelings for him. It’s nice to spend time with Danny, but by the end, Duke is sure he can feel his heart start to crack in half. A sleepless night awaits him when he gets home, moving past his cousin’s attempts to talk to him in favor of flopping face down onto his bed.

But the next day, Danny grins at him when he walks into the cafe. He doesn’t have a new pick up line, choosing instead to act as calm and casual as possible to give Danny some space.

Also breaking routine, Danny insists on personally making Duke’s drink, writing something onto the cup before he fills it up with a floral tea. 

You’re so fine, you made me forget my pick up line, is scrawled on the side of his cup when he gets it. 

“Enjoy your drink, Cutiepie the Third,” Danny says with a shy smile.

“The Third?” Duke repeats, relief making him feel lighter than air, “Who are the first two?”

“Don’t worry about it, cutie. Get to class!”

Duke lets Danny chase him out, and holds in his laugh when he hears Danny’s coworker screech, “What was that?!”

Yeah, they’ll be fine. In the meantime, Duke needs to see if apology pick up lines are thing. Danny definitely deserves one.

[rraaaannnn]

How stupid

In 2000s

You hit your hand on the player's recorder to play the song while you return to the chair and place your legs on the store table.

You mumble the song's melody while trying to win the gameboy

You start to feel that the weather is getting hot. You look at the bad fan. It stops working again, which makes you sigh and go outside the store for a little while, perhaps there is air or anything to reduce the heat of the weather.

And the sun shines in your face

You stand up and lean against the hot wall to see the usual group of girls sitting on top of the medium-height wall near your store

The girls who make your school all lose their minds, the hot girls who make girls and boys wish for a chance with them.

The girls are composed of Hanni, Danielle, Minji, Hyein, and Haerin

You look at that boy who comes from across the street to kiss his girlfriend, Haerin

"YN!" You look to the other side of the street to see your friend running to you. “What?” You shout as well. “There’s a party going to be held at Jason’s house.”

“Are we invited?” you ask while looking at your friend. “No…”

Of course, the school students will not invite you to their parties, so you and your friend are losers

It's not just that you're losers. You don't meet the students at school most of the time. You skip school.

And no one will invite you to his party because you were not cool kids like Haerin and her group

“Why don’t we try our luck and go to his house, maybe he will feel bad and let us in,” your friend says while you look at him with side eyes.

“We did it at the last party, and then that idiot made fun of us at school the next day,”yn pointed back, without looking, at Herren and her lover.

“So what should we do? I really want to go to the party.” Your friend frowns while you look at him helplessly.

“Julie is going to the party…” your friend says with a smile watching your jaw hit the floor. “Are you kidding me! I’m going!”

Julie is the hot, sweet girl that you have a crush on

You almost never leave any woman without crushing her, but Julie crushes her more than anyone else

More than Angelina, more than Sohyun, more than Haerin

Yes, you were crushing on Haerin, but she was dating, so you started busying yourself with crushing on other people

“How come we're not invited?” your friend asks

“When is the party?” you ask as you grab your friend’s shoulders tightly. “Uh-today at night.” You let go of his shoulder as you head to your store’s garage to pull him down. “Let’s go to my house. I have a plan!” is what you say as you pull your friend in.

To meet Haerin and her group, who approached your store to buy some tapes, looking in confusion, including cat eyes.

“Sorry ladies, we are closed.”

You run while dragging your friend, leaving the girls behind

You and your friend stand behind the back fence of Jason's house while the sound of music appears in the background

“This is FUCK-ing really suffocating me.” You remove the mask that looked like a thief’s mask. “Maybe the mask wasn’t needed.” Your friend says unsurely without removing his mask.

"Okay, let me repeat the plan to you so that you don't forget. You carry me on your shoulders, then I jump from the fence and help you climb on. Then we climb to the second floor window and enter his house. With us actually being in his house, he will think that one of his wealthy friends invited us, so he will be afraid of losing his friend and He invites us to the party."

You actually do what you plan until you enter through the window and your friend is waiting after you, but you enter and see an ugly sight.

Someone is making out with a girl, he is Haerin's boyfriend and the one he is with is not Haerin "YOU THE-what are you doing here!" Haerin's boyfriend shouts at you and what's worse is that you ripped off the mask and he definitely saw your face he will kill you

“I-don’t worry about me,” that’s what you say before running to the door of the room and opening it with the key that was on the handle and running to the stairs to reach the door and get out of it before Haerin’s boyfriend catches you.

It seems that Haerin's lover's screaming made everyone pay attention to you. You were looking at you, and this means that Jason sees you and will make things worse.

You run to the door with your friend behind you, but change your direction to stand in front of Haerin, who is sitting on the sofa. “Your boyfriend is cheating on you.”

"Eh?" This is what you hear from Haerin before you run again to the door and you and your friend exit while the idiot flies behind you.

“Yn…” your friend says in a frustrated voice while you look through your sunglasses suspiciously, “Can you stop? It’s been three weeks.”

“Three weeks, if you have three years, Haerin’s lover, I will not forget me, and he will plan to beat me up.” You stand in front of your store, which has been closed for three weeks, while you try to pull out the garage and enter quickly to pick up the gameboy that you forgot.

“So, are you going to keep hiding until we graduate? Please, no one in school is talking to me! You’re my only friend…”

"Look for another loser. The school is full of people like us."

“You are a special loser…” You laugh out loud at what your friend says, but what happened to your friend’s voice became softer, as if it were Haerin’s voice, which she rarely speaks out loud in class.

You turn around to see Haerin standing next to your friend

"Oh…Oh?…Oh!" Of course she came to pick a fight with you about what you said on BF

“Listen, believe it or not, I was drunk at the party, so I don’t think what I saw is true, that your boyfriend was cheating. What a noble thing I was when I told you before I ran away, hehheh.” You scratch your neck while laughing nervously and stupidly at the same time.

“Don't worry about it, I came here…to buy some tapes,” she says as she turns her gaze to the stacked tapes.

You look at the closed garage in the middle, isn't it obvious that the store is closed?

“Of course, choose what you want,” she says while approaching me politely, knowing that she will not quarrel with you

“Is there a Britney Spears?” she asks, making you look for her next to her, but this cat steals a glance at your face.

“Britney… Spears,” you hand her the tape and notice her charming eyes as she looks at you. “How much do I owe you?” she asks, tilting her head and looking at you.

“Nothing…” you say while being unconscious except for her eyes. “Really? But shouldn’t I pay you?” she says as she approaches you.

“How stupid to cheat on you,” you mumbled unconsciously, but Haerin hear you. “I mean, you can take it as a gift.”

“But I really want to pay you.” She doesn’t turn away from you, and you don’t turn away from her. “If you insist.” That’s the last thing you say.

Haerin grabs your shirt and leans closer to press a quick, light kiss on your lip

But left a big and strong feeling on a poor person like you

She takes the Britney Spears tape with her And your heart,And leans out of your store as you stand frozen in place, “YN! She kissed you!” He grabs your shoulders to shake you, making you melt. “Yes, yes, she did!” You and your friend start jumping in disbelief as you hear the group giggling. Girls behind your store

Haerin kissed you so you didn't mind if you were going to get beat you every day from now on by her boyfriend

—

I LOVEEEE 2000s FICS PLS More of it, writers

[yourstrulysylus]

Midnight kitchen

The foyer of his house smelled appetizing the familiar sounds of frying pans and the soup boiling made his mouth water after a long day of business affairs he clearly anticipated of what’s being made. Sylus sees her standing in the kitchen eyes completely focused as she chops some green onions using her favorite wooden chopping board he secretly smiled to himself as it gave him pleasure that she uses one of his gifts.

One of the favorite things about this pretty little chef of his is that she cleans as she goes he appreciated the fact that the area she worked at not a mess was in sight and the sink was almost dish-free. He adored the way she was organized without burning a single meal and how she’s meticulously careful with sharp objects.

He made his presence known by clearing his throat as she was now stirring the pot on the stove.

She looked up at his gaze and welcomed him with a smile. His heart swelled at the sight before him he closed the distance between them, standing by her side. He leaned against the counter watching her work the aroma of the food getting stronger.

“So what are we having for tonight?” he asked

“I’m making you a traditional korean dish called kimchi jjigae and dakgangjeong for dinner,” she responded with a smile “here taste this.”

He took a spoonful of the dish savoring the flavors across his palate the spicy and fermented kimchi added a rich and flavorful kick while the soft yet pungent kimchi provided a comforting warmth - back then his former chefs would prepare Sylus a medium rare steak, a veal or an italian pasta with meatballs on it to add some red meat for his diet however this one tasted like home.

“Mmm… this is delicious in fact let me try some more.” She gave him another clean spoon she liked the fact that he came back for seconds.

“I’m starving shall we go eat?” He usually doesn’t ask his chefs to accompany him for dinner and it’s the first time he saw she was holding back. “Oh, well it’s almost done sir I’ll serve it once you settle at the table.” Given her professional response he nodded but wasn’t satisfied with her answer.

He went to the dining area where he sees the table completely set for one. He frowned a little as if it’s almost reminding him how alone he was. Candle lights, table napkins, clean utensils and a clean plate all waiting for him. He went back to the kitchen immediately realizing that he should be with her eating beside him instead. He sat down at the kitchen island where she promptly prepared basic place mats.

He smiled at her once again giving her the impression that this is where he decided to dine she quickly understood as if they were of one mind. He watches as she sets the food down on the counter the bowl of kimchi jjigae and the plate of dakgangjeong looked tempting.

“Looks good, chef.” She nodded pleased with his approval.

“Dig in.”

He didn’t need to be told twice he began taking a spoonful of the kimchi jjigae first the flavors were just as delicious as the first couple of bites the spice was well balanced out with other seasonings providing the dish with a perfect symphony of taste.

“This is really good,” he said as he took a small bite of the dakgangjeong appreciating the flavor from the crispy chicken coated with sweet and tangy sauce. “You have really outdone yourself with this one.”

She giggled at his compliment, never before in his entire life felt his heart warmed more in that blissful moment.

“You really enjoy cooking don’t you?” He asked still eating

“I do.”

He nodded appreciating her passion. “It shows in your work,” he complimented. “You put so much effort into the dishes you make its impressive.”

“Thank you, Sylus.” a light blush appeared in her cheeks

Bingo.

“Why don’t you join me? There’s more than enough for one person.” He watched her take off her apron and folded it placing it neatly on the counter his gaze softened as she made her way to his side silently grateful that she didn’t fight it anymore she ate right beside him taking a comfortable silence.

He felt like this is their new beginning and when the time comes that she would let him court her he’d be more than happy to settle down in a heartbeat.

collaborated with @kindalonely-ngl 🫶🏻

[boydepartment]

quiet nights- hwang hyunjin x reader

a/n: i am sorry this was completely self indulgent :( ik i have requests rn but like… i finished all my work and im just laying down next to my mom watching hyunjins vlogs on the tv so this is FOR ME :(( your girl has been a little tired lately and mentally stressed i usually don’t even write or take requests for skz anymore but……………. omg what’s that behind you???!!!?

warnings- none, fluff, they just talk in the hotel room. not proof read.

wc- 400-500

MASTERLIST

curling up beside your cool hotel pillows was the standard while traveling. you didn’t expect your boyfriend to get back to the hotel room until later tonight. hyunjin was a busy man and his errands for this trip were later than your errands. your errands finished when his started, so needless to say you really missed him.

you fumbled around trying to get comfortable in the dim hotel room, you had all the lights off and you could see the city lights from the open curtains.

since the room was so high up you felt comfortable leaving them open, there was no balcony or any openings so you could enjoy truly enjoy the view of the bustling city.

you sat up and took a seat by the window, taking the throw blanket you and hyunjin bought from your last trip with you.

it was amazing to you that there was so many people living so many different lives, so many lights to signify different things. before you knew it you had grabbed the sketchbook and charcoal out of your bag. hyunjin had bought you and him art supplies while you were out earlier.

you started to sketch out the city in front of you, so focused on the scene. you wanted to challenge yourself to not try and erase or clean up your lines unless it was with the medium.

your brows furrowed and you started to get in your head, not even realizing your boyfriend was back in the hotel room. hyunjin thought you were asleep so he set down the bags of surprises quietly. when he walked further into the hotel room he saw you sitting by the window with the sketchpad in front of you. smiling to himself he watched you for a bit, changing from his outdoor clothes to indoor.

once he was done he went up to you and put his hand on your shoulder, the thin piece of charcoal snapped and you looked up at him.

“you scared me.” you felt yourself laugh a little before smiling up at him. hyunjin looked down at you, his smile never leaving his face.

“i’m sorry, my intended…” he mumbled and leaned down to kiss you.

you smiled into the kiss and set the art stuff down on the small table.

“let’s get your hands cleaned up and then we can head to bed alright? it’s late…” hyunjin caressed your face and kissed your forehead. you nodded and you both walked to the bathroom.

he helped you wash the charcoal off your hands as he told you about his day, “then this lady complimented my jewelry and i found out she was some like high political power that i didn’t even know!” hyunjin whispered through giggles.

“when did you find out?” you asked, giggling aswell, your boyfriend always found himself in weird positions like this.

hyunjin started laughing again, “literally four people came up to me and were like, ‘do you know who that is?’ and obviously i was like ‘nooooo what?’”

that sounded like something he would do and you could so clearly imagine it, “how does this keep happening to you?”

he dried off your hands and kissed your palms, “i don’t know my love! people just talk to me i guess. i don’t even know what they’re saying half the time.”

you started to giggle again and you guys walked over to the bed and got in. it was finally comfortable to you with your boyfriend next to you.

“so tell me about your day?” he laid on his side facing you, tracing your hands with his fingertips, “i had to leave when you got back so i didn’t get to ask…”

“it was busy, i had to talk to a lot of people too, not political powers though.” you teased him, he threw his head back and laughed.

“but it was good, i walked around a bit when you left, picked up a couple things for us too. there’s leftovers in the small fridge.” you spoke softly. hyunjin nodded and scooted closer to you, you could tell he was getting tired. sleep finally knocking on his door.

“i found… i found a nice cafe…” he yawned and pulled you closer to him, “healthy food… nice breakfast…” hyunjin started to shut his eyes.

you relaxed in his arms and started to place with the ends of his hair, “want to go there for breakfast tomorrow?”

he nodded, “then a museum…”

“then a museum…” you repeated and smiled to yourself, sleep starting to come for you too, “we better get rest then…”

hyunjin nodded into your neck, “mhm….” humming.

“i love you..” you whispered, your hand moving back and forth on his back.

“i love you most..”

[sscieloz]

Heartbeat

Shin Ryujin x reader

Synopsis: you’ve promised to take your best friend to an awaited party, located in a nearby city. Ryujin catches your eye, and you fall right into her web of plans, with the promise of having a good time once and for all.

Warnings: mentions of gangs, guns and drugs. smut. blood. violence. nsfw.

Word count: 13.8k

Notes: i thought abt this after watching ryujin’s solo mv! it was so good <3. this was a fairly new topic for me to write about, so I apologize if it’s poorly written or unrealistic. nevertheless, I had lots of fun writing it ˆˆ. english is not my first language, so I apologize for any mistakes.

You don’t mind helping out your parents by working at the family’s Diner: there usually weren’t many customers, and days went by slowly without you being bothered.

“Hey, Y/n. Can I grab another soda?” Your best friend asks, brushing her hands in front of your face to get your attention. Facing you from the other side of the diner’s endless counter, Chaeryeong looks like a hyper child, standing up from her seat to take a look at the soda machine, placed behind your frame.

You roll your eyes at her, simply grabbing the large cup she hands you and filling it up with Coke Zero, this time. “Here.”

“Awn, man, come on!” She protests, grunting. Lets her head fall back. “Coke Zero tastes like shit, Y/n! Give me something tasty, damn.” Chaeryeong turns to the few other customers, gesticulating, “What does a girl have to do to get the good stuff around here? Stop with the misery!”

She has her finger pointed at you, to which you giggle. You’ve known Chaery since your diaper days, with her living in the house in front of yours, and the two of you have been best friends ever since. Her careless, playful nature provides a nice balance to your calm, responsible one. You love her to pieces, which means you are always taking care of the dark-haired girl, in many ways.

“You’ve reached your daily quota of sugar.” You don’t even look at her as you answer, busy giving an elder woman her exchange in cash. “And don’t make those faces. I might as well just give you water, from now on.” Smiling at the customer, you ignore your friend. “Thank you, ma’am! Have a pleasant day.” Chaeryeong gulps, knowing fully well you mean your words.

She keeps her thoughts to herself, mumbling something incoherent while the loud slurps of the iced drink can be heard. Still not paying her much attention, you lean your elbows on the counter marble, sighing tiredly. Even though it was only an hour past noon, you could feel the heaviness in your eyes, the tiredness getting to you. Not having any orders, you allow yourself a few moments of rest, closing your eyes and resting your head on your hands. Just some seconds of peace, you decide.

The bell chime’s noise announces the end of your calm state of mind. In a blink, your sister is placing a medium-sized box on the counter, her usual smile directed at you. You know better than to trust her angelic looks, though — behind her rose gold hair and delicate features, Rosé is nothing but a devious manipulator.

However, she’s still your older sister, and you love her to pieces. It’s the only reason you don’t ignore her, crossing your arms and waiting for her to speak up, instead. She pushes the box towards you, smiling sneakily.

“Good morning, baby sister.” Rosé greets you. As usual, she never goes straight to the point.

You narrow your eyes at her. “It’s past noon, Rosé.”

“Yeah, whatever.” She brushes you off, winking at Chaeryeong to say hello. The girl nearly drowns in her coke, coughing violently.

Chaeryeong has had a massive crush on your sister ever since she was fourteen. Fortunately for you, Rosé has never seen her as anything apart from a little sister too, like yourself. Although the not so subtle rejection has never stopped Chaery from freaking out whenever Rosé addressed or acknowledged her.

“Good morning to you too, Rosie unnie.” She says, after finally gathering her breath. You huff, muttering about how biased she was and being promptly ignored by both girls. The package catches Chaery’s attention, ever so curious, and she pokes it with her bony fingers. “And what’s that about?”

Rosé pulls the package towards you, shrinking her shoulders down a little. For some, she might seem hesitant, but you know her too well to be aware that her movements are anything short of calculated.

“Could you deliver this for me?” She asks —tone dripping with sweetness. It always is, whenever she wants something from you. This is no different. “They asked for the pieces pretty urgently, and I’ll be off to deliver another package in a nearby city in a few minutes.”

Apart from the Diner, your father also owned a mechanical workshop, and would often sell and deliver car pieces to his clients. Rosé, being her outgoing self, dealt with them and the business part of it while you preferred to step aside, helping with the Diner instead. It was only when she had too much work to do that you had to deal with her customers, instead —and those were never pleasant experiences.

Perhaps you were just not cut for the job, or your calm aura was easy to be taken advantage of, but it was a matter of fact: you sucked at negotiating deals and making small talk. It made you uncomfortable and anxious, having to put up a superior act and bargain with assholes until you got enough profit to go home satisfied, so you avoided it vigorously.

Unfortunately, Rosé never hesitated to ask for a hand.

You eye the box suspiciously, trying to figure out the content inside without having to touch it. Even though it seems heavy, you can never truly trust appearances. After all, car pieces are not the only thing they sell at your father’s shop.

“I mean… I could.” You smirk back at Rosé, your identical smiles mirroring one another. “But I don’t want to.”

Before you even register, Rosé smacks you on the head. You’ve never been able to buck from her quick hands anyway.

“Hey!” You massage your scalp, moving your upper body forward to give Chaeryeong a push, too, since the action has her laughing loudly. “Bitch.”

Rosé giggles, too, standing on her tiptoes to give you a kiss on the cheek.

“Pretty please, Y/nnie.” She sighs, joining her hands in a prayer. “I’ll owe you one. I’ll even give you that dress of mine you love, promise.”

Chaeryeong gives you a thumbs up, biased as she’s always been.

“Come on, Y/n, let’s just do it. It’ll be fun! It’s too monotonous to be at the Diner all day, anyway.”

“See?” Rosé gestures to your best friend, pleased to be supported. “Chaery, you’re so sweet.” Your sister pinches her nose, and Chaeryeong’s face turns as red as a strawberry in a matter of seconds. She turns to you once again, then, still faking that hesitation. “Please? It’d be an outstanding deal for us. Lots of profit and all.”

You roll your eyes, still not convinced. Even though Chaery’s eyes are nearly popping off her face with how intensely she’s glaring, you refuse to give in. Rosé was stubborn, but you share the same blood, after all.

“Aren’t any of your friends available? I can’t just close the Diner and go.” Lies. You simply refuse to bulge, to relent to Rosé’s wishes as you always did.

She doesn’t even blink, though, unbothered by your lack of cooperation.

“Lisa, Jisoo, and Jennie are all busy with other work deals too, as well as the boys.” She shrugs, going around the counter to grab a beer for herself. “Trust me, Y/n: if I had anyone to go deliver this, I would… but you know how busy these past weeks have been, and we’re all so overworked. Help me out, please?” She touches the cross hanging on her chest, identical to the one you never took off.

A symbol of your bond.

You sigh, jumping off the balcony and giving in to Rosé’s orders for the nth time. “Fine.” You mumble, grumpy. “Chaeryeong can take care of the place while I go.”

“What the fuck, Y/n!” The girl jumps from her seat, suddenly interested in the conversation as if she hadn’t spent the last five minutes scrolling on her phone, all bored. Suddenly, she’s all ears, eagerly advocating for herself, “I don’t want to do the boring stuff! Let me go with you.”

Before you’re able to tell your friend to get fucked, Rosé stops you with her hands, signaling for someone to come in.

“It’s good for you to not go alone, baby sis. Chaery can make you company.” She nods, grabbing the young girl who came in by the shoulders and positioning her in front of you and Chaeryeong. “This is Rami. She’s Mingyu’s little sister, remember? She said she could handle the diner for a few hours while the two of you are at it. Such a sweetheart, is she not?”

The girl — Rami, nods energetically, looking at your sister with adoration in her glittery eyes. It was no surprise Rosé had brought one of her little fangirls to help, actually. Living in a small city for all your life, everyone knew Rosé. She’s been a notable presence since her teenage years, whether it was attending fancy balls or setting fire to the shops downtown. The blonde girl has been remarkable for as long as you can remember. She’s always been either feared, hated, or loved, but remarkable nonetheless.

Which only proved your theory that you were not going to deliver any car pieces, after all.

You and Chaery exchanged a knowing look, neither caring enough to ask anything about this girl or explain the job she’d have to take at the Diner for free.

“Very well, then.” You sigh, watching Rosé’s excited clapping and giggling. “I’ll grab my car keys.”

Chaeryeong follows you closely, also jumping of joy. You’re well aware she hates being at the Diner, always complaining of boredom, but it isn’t like she has any other friends to go out with. Behind her bubbly, chatty, and energetic personality, she’s is actually very frail and shy, which makes her an easy target for the mean fuckers your age. She struggles, and would much rather just have a single, loyal friend. And you’ve always made sure to protect her fiercely.

“Adventure!! Finally.” The dark-haired girl raises her hands, thanking God you’d go out.

“Don’t get too excited.” You warn her, turning to Rosé. Pointing a finger at the rosy-haired woman, you add. “I hate you.”

She pulls you in for a suffocating hug, used to your harsh behavior. “And I love you so, little sis. Thank you!”

Both Rami and her wave as you and Chaeryeong leave the diner, the package weighing heavily in your hands. You don’t have a big 6th sense, but something does not feel right. Although you ignore it anyway, turning the car on and driving to the address your sister texted you.

-

“Do we really have to do this?” She whines, closing the passenger’s door rather roughly — to which you grunt, paying her a harsh stare for not being careful with your precious car.

She realized the whole thing would be anything but fun sometime mid the 40-minute journey to the abandoned warehouse you were currently walking into. Besides, once you reminded her that Rosé’s request would put off her wishes of going out and partying for a few hours, that little pout of hers hasn’t left her lips. Now, Chaeryeong is all regretful to have supported the older girl in her wishes.

“Not really.” You pay your friend no mind, walking towards the place that was falling into pieces. Seeing you weren’t backing her up, her pout deepened.

“It’s my birthday.” She argues, kicking rocks along the way.

“I already bought you a cake. And milkshake, and fries.” You roll your eyes, remembering how you’d all chanted your best friend happy birthday at your parents’ Diner, during breakfast. “And a shit ton of booze, throughout all these years of knowing you. You haven’t paid me back once.”

Chaeryeong sighs, hurrying to your side, defeated. You keep walking without waiting for her, making it harder for her to catch up — truly opposites, the two of you.

“Fine. But let’s do this quickly. You promised we’d still go to that party.” She decides, playfully bumping into you. Any other time, her actions would’ve helped you to be at ease, but you’re unable to relax this time. You know this is some serious shit.

“Yeah, let’s do this quick.” You repeat her words, entering the abandoned place at a slow, nearly languid pace.

Let you both be out of here in no time. You wish, once again sensing the bad omens.

The warehouse, although old, mistreated and nearly falling into pieces, is not unsettling to you. It’s merely the place Rosé sometimes treats business, and you’ve accompanied her once or twice, before. The wooden beams are rotten, and the flooring has long disappeared, fading into dust that clings to your combat boots. You’d have to clean them later, and that somehow annoys you more than the situation itself. The place is empty, with walls that were once covered by big, expensive windows, yet all that remains are tainted, broken glasses hanging wherever you could look. Machines are still forgotten in random locations inside the building, a ghost of times when the government tried to rebuild the massive area. None of that was successful, obviously. Now, this ghost of a place belongs to your father, your sister, and the other people who were also part of the darker side of this shitty town.

Only a single table hangs in the open area of the first floor, clearly meant for dealerships and businesses. Upon arriving, you notice 5 — no, nearly 10 people waiting not so patiently. Wearing dark, shabby clothes, none of them seem welcoming, to say the least. Rosé had told you’d be doing business with Wendy, a familiar customer from another small town nearby, in hopes to ease down on your nerves. It worked, in a way: having met with Wendy a few times prior, you weren’t all nervous about the upcoming meeting. She was intimidating and oh, so pretty, but you got along well with the auburn-haired woman and her business partners, from previous experiences such as charity dinners and dealerships alongside your sister’s presence.

The woman that stands in front of you, however, looks nothing like Wendy. You know her, naturally; it was impossible not to. Jinsoul’s troublemaker fame was much different than your sister’s — while Rosé’s actions, even though batshit crazy at times, are dreadfully calculated, Jinsoul’s insanity comes with the sole purpose of enticing chaos. Her unstable nature is much of a pain, you’ve personally experienced so from watching herself prove her influence on a crowd by torturing some poor girl who accidentally spilled champagne in her dress at a ceremony, or setting fire to a man’s car at one of the car rifts you often attend. Out of all the girls from her gang, Jinsoul is the least pleasant one to set off deals with.

Naturally, Rosé and Jinsoul hate each other with a passion, being two different flames of the same fire.

With all of that knowledge, you fix your posture, observing Chaeryeong do the same with your peripheral vision. Even though you absolutely despise it, you’ve been taught well how to keep a powerful, imposing façade. Standing tall, you tower over Jinsoul and her subordinates.

“I see Rosé sent her little minion, instead of herself. Must be really busy, of course.” Jinsoul doesn’t greet you, as expected. Her tone is dripping with venom as she examines you and your best friend with harsh eyes.

Now that you’re in front of her, you’re no longer hesitant or scared. Instead, you’re bothered, irritated that you have to deal with your sister’s cheap copy instead of Wendy or Joohyun. Taking a step towards the young woman, you curse Rosé under your breath, fully aware the eventful encounter is not a misunderstanding.

“Nice hair. I love the new color.” You say, leaning your head with a knowing look. Jinsoul’s hair falls a little past her shoulders, in a strawberry-blonde tone that is exactly like Rosé’s past one, from a few months prior. “I’ll tell Rosé her oldest, most faithful fan sends her regards.”

Your words seem to stir something inside the leader in front of you. She scoffs, gritting her teeth. “This is too tedious. Give me the shipment we agreed on, I’ve got better things to do anyway.”

Rolling your eyes, you gesture for Chaeryeong to drop the box on the ground. She does as told, the metallic sounds of the guns moving inside. It echoes in the empty place, as the box falls onto the ground.

Jinsoul remains stoic, hands resting neatly inside her pockets, while her guards reach out for the box. Before they can touch it, though, you step on it, preventing anyone from moving.

“Give us the money first, Jinsoul. No funny business.” You stare right into her eyes, remembering the times you’ve caught her fooling around in her deals, leaving other people empty-handed. “Then you can check as much as you want.”

She laughs, knowing you’re no fool. “I see you’ve gotten wiser, Y/n. Well done.”

In a second, she’s handing you another small, compacted package. You take the money with your delicate hands, not in the least made to deal with such dirty stuff. You count it, already feeling the blood in your veins boil. Chaeryeong breaths are heavy beside you as you say. “This is not what we agreed on, Jinsoul. Stop being a whore for once and give me the other half of the fucking money.”

You and Chaery don’t need words to understand each other. She grabs the box back from the ground as soon as she sees you go rigid, holding on to it with the same look of disdain you bear.

“Oh, my dear.” Jinsoul stands close enough to grab a strand of your long fringe, knuckles brushing your jawline with feigned affection. “Your sister should know I am only faithful to the people I treat business with… and I didn’t discuss anything with you, precious.”

Turning your face, you hold Chaeryeong with one arm to prevent her from jumping on Jinsoul and beating her up.

“You bitch!” Your friend screams at her face, her voice muffled by Jinsoul’s hectic laughter as she walks away, back turned to you and Chaery in a clear show of disrespect.

Before you can go to Jinsoul yourself, her guards strike, going straight to the two of you. You manage to buckle and give them a few punches — causing a fair amount of trouble for someone who didn’t practice often at all, honestly. However, you were outnumbered, and soon enough you find yourself on the ground, punched and disheveled.

Coughing violently, you turn to see one of them kicking Chaeryeong in the guts, a few meters from you. The sight of your friend, cheerful and pure Chaery, being hurt enrages you to the core. You spit at their feet to gather all the attention to yourself.

“Don’t touch her, fucker!” You scream, breathless. They pay you no mind, having the time of their lives.

You feel something on your jacket, then. When you look ahead, Jinsoul has poured a thick, horizontal line of a viscous liquid through all of the massive warehouse. Other guards help, with gallons, but you know most of it is her doing — she loves to get her hands dirty in the business. There’s fire in her eyes, and by the time she lifts the lighter dramatically, you’re already well aware.

Gasoline.

“Goodbye, dearests! It’s always a pleasure doing business with you.” She chants, before throwing the lighter and walking away, without any rush.

You have to use both hands to stand on your fours, then on your knees. Your jacket is long thrown elsewhere as you grab Chaeryeong by back of her neck, much like a kitten. “Let’s go, and quick. Are you badly hurt?” You murmur, looking for any bad bruises on her porcelain skin. The girl shakes her head, running her hand through her bloody nose. She whimpers, and you know she’s trying her best to be strong in front of you. You give her a hug, as well as a kiss on her dirty cheek, in hopes of bringing her a little comfort. “Good. Now come.”

You hated — no, you despised Rosé for always deceiving you. Only this time, she’d pay.

Leaning on each other, the two of you go back to where you’d parked your car, in a hidden area a few minutes away from the warehouse, just as you’ve been taught to do. You take a deep breath, appreciating the humidity and the nature that ruled the place, a forgotten piece of the city. It had rained while you were inside, and you were glad for that. You loved the smell of rain, especially in nature.

On your way to the car, you spot a water tap nearby. You take Chaeryeong’s arms from your shoulders, then, opening the tap and turning to her. “Clean yourself up.”

“You’re so bossy.” She mumbles, but is quick to do as told, grabbing a hold of the water and splashing it on her face, cleaning up the dust that gathered. Chaeryeong nearly drenches her whole head, too — her pitch-black hair all shiny within minutes as the color slowly returns to her face.

While she takes the dirt off her arms and legs, you look around to check on the fire. It is still lively, a bright beacon as the night falls by, but you know it won’t spread. The place was all rotten by rust, with barely any ceiling left, so the rain would most likely put it off.

Still, Jinsoul’s message was clear, and it stung on your pride.

At least she’s always been like that, never presenting herself differently. Much different from your sister, who tells lies for breakfast.

Your mind is still clouded by troubled thoughts when Chaeryeong lets out a tired laugh, smiling once you kneel to clean up yourself. “They beat up our asses hard out there, you know.”

As much as her statement annoys the shit out of you, you’re grateful to have her cracking jokes again. Your best friend’s delicate features suit the red color on her mouth, a sign she’s well and ready for the next one.

You feel the dust gathering under your fingers and all over your skin. It’s all over you, so intensely your honey hair can be misguided as black, with how much of it is covered by dirt.

“I’ve barely noticed.”

Chaeryeong chokes in her saliva to keep herself from laughing, knowing your patience’s running thin. Even if you have the softest spot for her, she decides not to push it.

“Yes, obviously.” She nods. You think she’s finally going to be quiet, but it’s your best friend you’re talking about. Naturally, she continues. “Let’s go to the party, please?”

You scoff, rolling your eyes as you finish washing up, feeling refreshed and no longer too bothered. “Yes.”

You both arrive where the car is parked before she adds. “And we need fighting lessons once we get back home.”

“Chaeryeong.”

“It’s true, sorry! It is.” She raises her hands as if to keep herself from being attacked by your rage.

You limit yourself to giving her a harsh stare, and she shivers under it. You can be quite intimidating when you wish to be, especially since you’re not exactly a chatterbox.

Turning the car on, you indulge your friend’s wishes as you drive towards the party she’s been nagging you about for the whole week.

-

The night’s already taken over the sky once you park on the crowded street, after hours of speeding on the free road. As you hop out of the car, your thoughts go to your sister: you know the meeting with Jinsoul had been arranged all along, with her words about Wendy being merely for you to agree on doing as told. How could she fool you like that? As if you were nothing more than another dischargeable person, like many of her toys.

It’s not the first time Rosé has sent you and Chaeryeong to some skimpy situation, but knowing she was well aware of it being a clear trap all along leaves you absolutely outraged.

Even though she knew of the risks, she still sent you. You would’ve never gone, had you known it was a situation like that, and that’s the reason she didn’t warn you beforehand.

You hated Rosé’s guts.

Chaery rushes to your side once again, side-eyeing you with as little discreetness as possible — unlike yourself, she’s never been good at hiding her expressions. You don’t even attempt to smile, still mad about your earlier encounter and all that went wrong.

Not even your bubbly, cheerful best friend can lift your spirits, at the moment.

“Don’t tell me you’re still pissed, Y/n.” She shakes her arms, sighing. Her tone is serious, and you know she means it. “Come on! Live your life, and stop being so strict all the time. You deserve to have fun.” Chaery grabs you by the shoulders, lifting your chin so you’ll stare at her. “So have fun! I know it fucking sucks, but it’s done! Let’s just enjoy the night and deal with the whole problem tomorrow morning.”

You roll your eyes, knowing she’d never comprehend your feelings. As much as you love how carefree she is, you also know your personalities are too different.

You allow her to interlock your hand with hers, though, as the two of you pass the sea of cars in the direction of the crowded mansion.

“You could use a little fire within yourself too, you know.” You murmur, examining the place with harsh eyes.

The front garden alone is already impressive. Its deep green lawn is impeccable — clearly trimmed and well cared for, aligning with the lavish fountain that stands in the center and all the animals sculpted in the bushes. A cupid stands in the middle of the marble fountain, water flowing smoothly from its carved bow. You recognize the modern styling of the mansion, with plenty of massive windows that cover both floors of the house. With its wooden walls, the place has a rustic yet cozy surface. There is no doubt whoever owns such property has a great sense of style.

Even that front area is crowded, too. People nearly having public sex, others throwing up vigorously while being helped by friends, a few others just passed out on the lawn… although you’re surprised to see many groups simply drinking and chilling, leaning on their cars, too — most likely seeking an escape from the vivid music and the heat wave that must be inside. You already feel the energetic music echoing through the whole atmosphere, the rhythm reverberating through the walls and on the ground. You bite your cheek to suppress a smile, not wanting your friend to notice yet. To you, there was something appealing about attending such crowded spaces. Amidst the sea of people, you were no one: known by no one, cared for by no one. It was strangely comforting, as if a weight was going off your shoulders, and you liked it.

Interrupting your thoughts, Chaeryeong shrugs, “I mean, it’s Rosé we’re talking about. Did you seriously not expect the deal to be suspicious, to say the very least?” She sighs hard, adding. “That lying, dreadful hot bitch. I’d go to as many sneaky warehouses as she commands me to, sorry, Y/n.”

Her tone is truthful enough to have you shaking your shoulders in laughter, squeezing her hand to make her stop walking through people so fast. As a matter of fact, Chaery’s fat crush on your sister isn’t by any means new to you — going on for many years already, but it always surprises you to hear her say stuff like that.

You find it hilarious, actually, that Chaeryeong is, to this day, one of your sister’s fangirls.

“I seriously can’t believe you sometimes.” You say, although youthful spirits have been lifted. Your best friend smiles brightly at you, her button nose scrunching adorably.

“You just love me so much.”

You leave her at that, and stand by the door, making your way to the main, open area — the living room. Chaeryeong is smart and attentive, which also helps to access the whole place rather quickly. Soon enough, both of you have some kind of fancy drink in hands, and you stare at the dark-haired girl rather hesitantly.

Her bright humor and the room’s energy, bustling with excitement are enough to have you feeling much better, even a little happy yourself. Still sensing your hesitation, she brings the cup to your mouth with her small hands, both of you downing your drinks within seconds.

“Okay,” She says, looking around for anything interesting. “Now the real fun begins.”

You laugh, knowing she’s going to find some source of entertainment for the night — whether it is a pretty girl to lose herself in or a newly discovered gossip to watch and comment over like a TV series.

Chaeryeong disappears and comes back with another fancy-looking drink, stumbling and nearly falling in the process, and you quickly grab the one she hands to you, taking a small sip this time. She’s already had a handful of hers and stares at your choice of savoring the liquid with playful eyes.

“What? I would rather not pass out. That’s your role.”

“You never forget, do you? It was once, Y/n. Once. And forever ago, too! I’ve never done that again.” She huffs, bringing her free hand to her chest in a fake display of resentment.

You giggle as you hug her sideways, shutting off the older girl’s whines. She quickly steps aside, though — not wanting people to think she’s not seeking some fun, and you take the opportunity to look around, observing the inside of the mansion properly.

It’s a beautiful house — a mansion, indeed — and the first floor is nothing but lavish. The bar, where you and Chaeryeong stand, is nearly the size of the one at the Diner, filled with expensive drinks and crystal cups as the bartender — not at all like the junk places the two of you usually attend— mixes drinks with experience.

It also pleases you to see how such a person is not afraid of spending money to host a good party, even if the people enjoying it are complete strangers. The lively atmosphere of young people having fun, mixed with the grand decor of the place balanced each other well, giving a lived-in aspect to said gorgeous place.

The open area has plenty of windows, allowing you to watch the gardens and the pool, outside — even though it’s massive, there’s barely any space left in between the waters, making you gulp with disgust. It was hard for you to understand how that many people would muster the courage to get in, with so many germs and fluids certainly dirtying the once crystal-clear waters.

Looking back inside, you’re able to observe the planned furniture, which is clearly well thought out, with the wooden ceiling and the thick, marble columns. There are rugs lacking, you notice, but it is surely so they don’t stain or anything.

You wonder what the place is like during a quiet, common day. One where the only noises come from the birds, chipping and singing while flying through the trees, and the running water that drips on the pool fountain.

Besides that, it is absolutely crowded. Nearly every single space is occupied by either a couple kissing like there’s no tomorrow or people screaming and dancing, yet everyone seems to be having a nice time. The atmosphere makes you smile, surprisingly cozy on this chaotic yet lively night. That’s how you feel, specially after the prior encounters: alive.

You have to make that feeling worth it.

-

Time goes by fast once you’re trying to have fun.

You quickly learn so, as you drink, smoke, and dance with Chaeryeong. Even with the alcohol leaving you happy, you’re still uneasy. You can’t shake the feeling that you’re being observed, no matter how many times you tell yourself that’s absolutely insane — there are people in every possible corner of the place, and no one’s paying attention to you.

However, Chaery also seems to be opposed to the logical part of your brain.

“I think you should go for it,” Your best friend tells you, after long minutes of heavily flirting with a barbie-like girl from afar.

You’re nearly sure you know that girl, actually. She’s from your hometown, most likely; her heart-shaped mouth and cherubic features are impossible to miss.

There’s nothing more like Chaery than going to a party located 2 hours away just to fuck around with the same people you’ve known since elementary school.

Your best friend turns around, filling up both of your drinks, even though yours is only halfway empty.

You frown. “Go for what?”

It’s Chaeryeong’s turn to be annoyed at you. She throws her free arm on your shoulders, gesturing to the middle of the living room area, where four good-looking girls stand with critical looks, acting like they own the place.

Which, judging by their style and the way they carry themselves, they might as well do.

Chaeryeong points in their direction with her head, never in her life subtle. “The one in the middle has not stopped staring at you ever since we’ve arrived. Ryujin, they say it’s her name.” Your friend’s excited tone grabs your attention, and you finally take a look at the small group she’s so enamored by. “I think you should go get her.”

Your friend has always had a good taste in women, and this time’s no different. They are beautiful, crushingly so, all hanging out by the long couch, circled by many people who seem to fight for an ounce of their attention. They stay disinterested, though, not paying them as much as a quick look.

One has sharp eyes, listening attentively to what a jumpy redhead and a blonde girl have to say as she sips on her Marguerita. At last, you observe the raven-haired girl Chaeryeong mentioned: she stands powerful in the middle, her sharp features giving her an intimidating look. To your surprise, she’s already staring— her dark eyes examining you with such hunger your heart starts beating rapidly as if there were no one else in the room. Electric shocks fly through your body upon her piercing gaze, and you look away immediately.

“She’s creepy.” You take a long gulp of your drink, in hopes of washing away the urge of sneaking her a glance once again.

Chaeryeong rolls her eyes, nudging you. “Just how you like them.” She scoffs, then, when she realizes you won’t answer — not in the mood to indulge her little monologues. “Please, Y/n, for once in your life just—“

You interrupt your friend, taking a step back and giving her a fake smile. “I need to use the bathroom, but I’ll catch up with you soon, Chaery.” Getting away from her as fast as you can in such a crowded space, you’re still able to hear her voice as you ascend the grand staircase, screaming while raising her cup in your direction to prove her point.

“YOU CAN’T ESCAPE ME, Y/N! IF YOU TAKE TOO LONG, I’LL COME AND GET YOU.” You can’t help but laugh, fully knowing she means it.

Even though you escape her lecture — hearing that same discourse at least once a day ever since you can remember, you know Chaeryeong means well. It’s a matter of fact: you’ve always been the responsible one, caring and supervising others, to the point people always referred to you as “lame” or “boring”. Whether it was at the Diner, with your reckless family, or dealing with your friend’s spontaneousness, you’re unable to help it: being careful comes naturally to you, always thinking about countless opportunities for every situation possible.

Before opening many doors — the place was indeed massive, leaving you to wonder how many rooms there are — you finally find a bathroom. Without rushing, you take a deep breath, washing your face in hopes of easing your mind, too.

For the first time in many hours, you have time to truly think about the events of the day. Weariness infiltrates your bones as you grip both sides of the sink, not daring to look at yourself in the mirror. Looking at your face, your features, means staring at your sister, too. At your father, the whole dirty business you do for a living and how you’re also to blame, no matter how much you avoid taking part in it. You belong in this world, there’s no denying it.

Only you so wish you didn’t.

Sitting on the toilet, you hug your knees, waiting for the tears to come. They never do; you only feel an overwhelming emptiness, somehow accustomed to this entire mess. Crying and pitying yourself won’t change anything.

The door opens, and Ryujin is standing in front of you before you can make yourself look presentable. She’s as intimidating as she was from afar, her thick boots making her look taller.

“Sorry for taking so long, I needed a moment. I’ll go now.” You get up quickly, trying to brush past her as you murmur excuses for keeping the bathroom all to yourself, even though she doesn’t seem to mind.

With a hand brushing your waist, she says, tone low and husked. “It’s ok. I can take you to somewhere quieter if you’d like.” Her posture is relaxed and patient, waiting for you to answer. “Listening to loud music for too long can be a bother.”

You don’t exactly know why you agree; perhaps it’s her voice, soothing and sensual — even though you somehow know her invite is not one seeking sex, or her dark eyes, staring at you like she could undress your soul and be aware of your deepest secrets. Regardless of the motives, you feel drawn to her, almost as if she’d cast a spell on you, luring you in. So you nod, allowing yourself to enter the labyrinth of corridors as Ryujin walks by your side, without rushing. Only when the two of you stop by a black, wooden door, she turns back to you. You step inside, as the world behind you suddenly turns quiet.

You’re fully aware of the risks you’re taking. She’s a stranger, and you know nothing about each other. You should be jumpy, wary in the least.

Instead, for the first time in many years, there’s not a train of thoughts running through your head, thinking about millions of possibilities and outcomes of every little thing you’ve ever witnessed.

As you walk into the middle of the spacious room, you feel nothing but calm.

-

Ryujin has good taste.

You’re not stupid: you know the bedroom you’re currently in belongs to her. The walls are made of wood, carved in light brown, and most of the furniture is black, a true portrait of how she presents herself — all dark and mysterious. Her bed stands appealing in the middle, the covers undone and inviting, while numerous papers rest neatly on her desk, but it’s the content on the wall that catches your attention. A map of the country, covered with red strings and pins linking numerous places. There are names written, too, as well as keywords and small texts.

“I’m a good listener. If you’d like to, naturally.” She takes a blunt out of her pocket, gesturing to you. “Do you mind?”

“Not at all.” You give her a small smile in acknowledgment. “It’s your room, anyway.”

She laughs. “Smart girl.”

“I’ll pass on your invitation to listen, though.” You continue as you stare at her closely, curious about how she’d react. Her blazer made her shirt ride up, revealing part of her toned abdomen, and you can’t help but ogle, mouth dry at the sight.

God, she’s so hot, sitting casually like that.“As you wish. No problem.” Ryujin doesn’t seem bothered in the slightest, which provides you with enough confidence to start looking around again.

A black wooden bookshelf catches your attention, standing on the opposite side of the windows and the balcony, and you’re appalled by how vast it is. It nearly occupies the entire wall, with numerous books. It’s the only part of the room that has any color besides black, brown, or white, and the books all seem pretty worn out. You brush your fingers through the shelves, lost in paradise.

“Do you expect us to fuck?” You don’t turn to face her as you ask, without shame. Strangely, you feel like you could tell her whatever you wanted to.

She shrugs, adjusting her pillows so she’d lie comfortably, looking rather small in the massive bed. The words leave her mouth so casually like nothing was ever complicated. “If you'd like to, maybe.” Her eyes travel to your body, and you shiver, once again feeling exposed. “You’re pretty. You have a beautiful body, too. So, sure.”

“Why did you bring me here, then? If not to fuck.” You murmur, eyeing her as your fingers brush a specific book, waiting for her permission.

You take it from its place once she nods, freeing the smoke from her lungs. The Waves, highlighted and annotated.

“You looked as if you had many thoughts going on in your head.” She runs her hand through her shiny, pitch-black hair, casually. “This is my quiet place. I figured you could use a little peace for a while, too.”

She was so right. From the time you entered her room, you felt nothing but peace, as if your emotional turmoil had cooled down for a few moments.

Maybe it was the calming energy Ryujin emanates or the way she looks at you so curiously. Anyway, you decide she’s worth it.

You were not exactly fond of meeting new people, much less welcoming them into your life. You didn’t feel the need to add anyone — you could barely keep up with the amount of drama you had, with not that many people. You have a best friend, a father, a stepmother, grandparents, a sister, and her friends who were your acquaintances. Not a massive crowd, but just enough for you.

However, you feel the need to let this girl in, too.

Jumping on the bed, you don’t stop until you’re near enough to feel the warmth of the blunt Ryujin holds. You lean on your elbows, facing down whilst she’s facing up, hands behind her head to support herself as she stares at the ceiling.

“I’m Y/n, nice to meet you.” You say, determined not to feel threatened by her piercing gaze and those midnight eyes that carry such mystery.

Ryujin laughs, shaking the hand you offer. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Y/n. I’m Ryujin.”

She stares back, her eyes undressing you as if she’s the keeper of all your secrets. You look away. She laughs again.

Your mind wanders to Chaeryeong’s words, always eager to talk about how you should take more risks and live freely. Perhaps she’s right; you should stop worrying too much and overthinking every single thing.

You snuggle yourself even closer to Ryujin, still deciding. “But are you good?”

She frowns, turning to you. “Probably. But good at what, exactly?”

“In bed, obviously.” You roll your eyes. “Are you a good fuck?”

Being so close to her allows you to see the switch your words provoke. Her eyes darken, and she fixes her posture, no longer carefree and unbothered. No… the girl whose eyes roam over your body is far from inviting or calming. She’s powerful, just as you watched her present herself downstairs, earlier at night. With strong hands, she grabs one of your thighs, bringing you so close you’re able to play with the collar of her silk shirt.

“Why do you ask, Y/n?” Ryunjin’s hands brush your neck in a careful motion, tucking your hair away so she’s able to run her nose through your skin. One look at her, and you know she enjoys toying with you like that too much.

As she must do with anyone, you suppose.

“Well…” You look down, although still leaning at her touch. “‘Cause I want you to fuck me, of course. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be asking.”

She doesn’t mind your impatient tone but doesn’t touch you either, even after your words. If anything, she just keeps staring at your body, as if imagining all the things she’d do.

“And how would I do that, exactly?” You roll your eyes, ready to give her a defiant answer when she grabs you by the chin, ever so gently. “Make sure to be clear with your words, my angel.”

And it’s that tone once again — so low-pitched and raspy, that makes you gulp, barely breathing under the enchanting, mysterious girl’s touches. Besides being in control at all times: when you’ve decided to accompany Ryujin to her bedroom, when initiating this battle of desire… you finally come to realize how different it is, this once. This time, Ryujin’s question presents itself as a warning, its meaning loud and clear even though it was unsaid. If you agreed to this, she would be the one in control. She’d take as much as she pleased, however, you wished her to do.

Something that is so appealing to you. Not because you feel the need to let go; no, you’ve done much of that throughout all of your life — being your family’s pawn, toy, and little doll to show off to other powerful families, making a profit over the image of perfection.

No, Ryujin’s offer is appealing simply because you’re curious to see what she’d do to you. You feel drawn to her, with a sudden urge to be under her touch, to have her inside of you.

You want her to do the most unspeakable, filthy things to your body, bringing you enough pleasure to fuck you dumb, until all of your worries are washed away and long gone.

Her. You want her.

So you stand on your knees, taking your time with unclasping your bra and throwing your shirt off the ground, long hair flowing gracefully as you move, cascading down your hips. It’s only once you’re done that you speak, long after letting her watch as you make a show out of the small act.

“I want you to pleasure me.” You say, with a voice just as lustrous as hers. “I’m sure you’ve been spoiled enough in sex. Prove it to me, then. And if you’re good enough, maybe I’ll satisfy you, too.”

She smiles, exposing her canine teeth as she watches you crawl to her. Within seconds, you’re between her legs, her mouth hot and wet on your clavicle — then wasting no time to go to your breasts, as she kisses and sucks on your skin. Making sure to bruise, to mark her presence. Territorial.

“Your wish is my command, angel of mine.” She murmurs, breath warm on your skin.

Ryujin’s taste is bitter, much like poison. Still, her lips are addicting, and it’s easy to lose yourself in between the sultry kisses you share. Your skin, your insides — you’re on fire, so turned on it burns.

Her hands, skilled and lithe, wander through your body, squeezing and groping as she pleases. Such a tease, she is. You can easily tell how delighted she is to be able to take her time, caressing the insides of your thighs as you huff, impatient. She’s so close, yet so far from where you need her. Your cunt aches, sticky and needy for something, anything.

Yearning for release after such a stressful day, you feel your body trembling with anticipation. Soon enough, you’re under her, both of your clothes long thrown on the ground. It’s hard not to blush with how she’s looking at your naked body, licking her lips as she spits, a long trail of saliva going from her fingers to your wet cunt.

You need more of her. Desperately.

Tugging her hair, you let out a loud whine. “You’re so mean, Ryujin.”

“I am.” Her answer comes immediately, as she lowers her body until her mouth is close to your pussy. She brushes the hair away from her face, eyes still heavily focused on your dripping cunt. Ryujin cups your ass, one of your legs resting on her shoulder as she brings your sex as close to her face as possible. Her eyes are starstruck, long-lost in your body as she parts your folds before giving your cunt a messy, wet kiss.

Her actions are more than enough to turn you into a withering mess: her mouth is everywhere, working her way inside of your walls with such vigor you feel so full, your troubled thoughts long forgotten. She works wonders, her tongue teasing your entrance and alternating between lapping on your clit, circling your hardened bud as you moan, squirming almost desperately. You’ve never been this sensible, yet Ryujin reverberates all of her actions through your body harder than usual — even the mere brush of her fingers has her holding your thighs firmly, to keep you from moving so much and closing your legs away.

Incoherent words leave your mouth so fast that you’d be ashamed if you were able to think about anything. Your long nails scratch her bare back in random patterns, leaving her skin so red you close your hands in a sudden wave of consciousness, shy as you bring them to your chest.

She stops too, ignoring your whines as she looks up to you with a serious face, her mouth swollen and glistening with your juices. “If you stop, I’ll stop.” She grabs your hands, placing them on her once again. It’s so sweet, somehow delicate how she handles you, much different from the way she acts with anyone else. “Don’t hold yourself back.”

You nod, gulping. She has two of her fingers aligned with your slit, spreading your juices through your pussy with that little smug smile of hers before easing them inside. They slide in easily, the gushing sounds filling the room along with your voice. “Ryujin… oh f-fuck!”

“Touch your nipples.” Ryujin commands, mouth closing against your clit once again. She licks and applies a weak suction, not yet enough to overstimulate you. You’re long gone, though, incapable of forming any thoughts on your pretty head, let alone following any commands. She knows it, which is the reason her hands grope your tits with strength, massaging. “You’re sensitive, angel. Touch them for me, will you?”

It seems to work, this time. You mumble a response to her patient tone, hands going straight to your nipples as you cup your breasts. They weren’t exactly big, but certainly not small either. If you squeezed them tightly — as you were currently, doing, you could fit them in your hands. Biting your lip, you flick your thumbs through the hardened buds, circling your areolas as your fingers twist and pinch your nipples.

The action sends a shock of electricity through your body, and you throw your head back in pleasure.

“Good girl, Y/n. God, your tits are so pretty. You look so pretty like this, doing so good for me.” You barely register her words, although it doesn’t seem necessary; if anything, Ryujin seems to be speaking to herself. She lifts her head, fingers thrusting in even deeper as she judges the bruises on your hips with hard eyes. Her voice is different, too, serious as she adds, “Must’ve been a tough day, hm? You’re all bruised, my love. And I haven’t given you any of these.”

“Something like that, I guess.” You murmur, closing your eyes to focus on how good she is making you feel.

She kisses each one of your bruises with delicacy, looking somehow annoyed. Her brows are furrowed, and her lips are pouty, making it easy to tell she’s lost in thought. Because of her reaction, you lift her chin, cocking your head to the sides as you try to figure her out. It seems to wake her up from her trance, instead. Ryujin takes your fingers and sucks, staring at you while her tongue wets your index and thumb just as she was doing to your pussy, moments prior.

This girl’s going to be the death of you.

Her attention returns to your cunt, swollen and red, as she fastens the thrusts on your slit. It hits deep, each movement bringing you closer to the orgasm you ache for. A third finger is added, then, and you feel yourself close to the edge. Ryujin must’ve felt your muscles clenching, too, since she’s quick to give your clit one last, deep suck.

It feels like there’s no air left in the room. The pleasure that was building up in your lower abdomen explodes, with violent waves of pleasure erupting and giving you the best sensation you’ve ever felt. It’s ecstatic, as if thousands of fireworks live in every little space of your body. You feel spectacular, but more than that, you feel alive. With a high cry, you cum, Ryujin’s fingers still working their way inside, helping you ride out from your orgasm. She’s careful to not touch your clit, just staring at your fucked out face as your chest moves rapidly, trying to even your breathing.

After a few minutes, you squirm, expecting her to distance herself and stop touching your cunt.

It’s not what happens, though — in a blink, she’s all over you, working her way up your body with wet kisses until your lips meet once again in a messy kiss.

“You’re relaxed now, right?” She says, sucking on your lower lip. “And you were so perfect, angel. It’s my turn. Can you give me one more? Do you think you can do it for me?”

Suddenly, you’re all hot again, as her fingers thrust into you deeper and deeper. You’re dizzy, more than happy to drink on her and let her drive you into pleasure as she says so.

“R-ryujin…” You chant her name, clinging to the girl.

It doesn’t take you long to cum, this time. The orgasm that drags through your body is strong but slow, leaving you full in more ways than you’ll ever be able to describe.

“So good.” She says, hands tight on your waist and caressing your abdomen, with no rush at all. “You’re doing so good, Y/n.”

Your cunt feels empty without her fingers inside, pussy swollen and pleased. Even though she’s right by your side, you miss her, reaching out for her touches. She’s more than eager to comply, holding you close as she kisses the top of your head, brushing the long strands of hair away from your face.

The two of you stay like that, wrapped up in a warm bubble that has you completely in peace. Your muscles relax, and you feel the tiredness in your bones, pleading for sleep. It’s easy to get lost in Ryujin’s arms, forgetting your duties and obligations until your mind is filled with her.

Just as quickly, you’re thrown back into reality by the doorknob — it’s forced from the outside, although the door doesn’t move, thankfully locked. It’s most likely someone drunk, searching for a place to have fun with someone, but the action is enough for you to remember the reason you’ve attended such a party: an energetic girl with dark hair and the worst sense of humor you’ve ever seen, who was probably worried sick about you and cursing your entire existence.

With that in mind, you get up, grabbing your dispersed clothes on the floor and putting them on. Ryujin’s stare is attentive, following your every move. She’s still comfortable in her bed, not bothering to cover herself as she reaches out for the blunt on her nightstand.

“You can stay, if you’d like.” Her voice has a special effect on you. It makes your body relax instantly, and you breathe in. “Enjoy the quietude. There’s no need to run away.”

“I’m not running away.” You frown, somehow bothered that she thinks so. Grunting, you clarify, “I’d like to… hum, continue this. But my friend’s been waiting for long now. She must be going crazy, thinking I’ve been kidnapped or something. I have to take care of her.”

“Why so?” There it is. That smirk, the air of superiority that adds to Ryujin’s strong façade. It’s almost as if she’s mocking you, playing with her words. “Is she a child? Or just so stupid she can’t take care of herself…”

Your face reddens, and you finish tying your shoes just as quickly as you turn to her, both hands gripping her bed frame so you’re able to jerk your body forward. “Chaeryeong’s not stupid. Watch your fucking mouth.”

People could say anything they wanted about you. In fact, they already did — ever since you were little and your mother had left, people judged and made assumptions about your life. It was impossible not to be a target, with a family like yours, handling the business that you do. It did hurt, at the beginning, but you’ve eventually figured it out: people talked about everyone, and you weren’t special. They were so miserable and uninteresting that they’d criticize every single little thing, no matter how invisible you tried to be. It’s just how they were.

However, any words directed at your best friend are enough for you to get into messy fights. No one was allowed to talk shit about her. Not cheerful, bright Chaeryeong, who had the biggest, cutest smile and the purest intentions in her heart. You’d never allow it.

Seeing how serious you were, Ryujin’s smile dropped. She tapped her blunt in the ashtray, careful to not let the dust spill. “You’re right, she’s not. I apologize.” Although she doesn’t look sorry at all. It’s as if everything is a big joke to her; which, with such a lavish house, you know it most likely is.

Rich people are always assholes.

Humming, you roll your eyes as you try to fix your hair, failing terribly. It’s still as wild as ever, stubbornly fighting your fingers when you run your hands through its entire length, in attempts of detangling something. The subject’s been brushed off when she speaks again, breaking the silence without any awkwardness. “Yeji is keeping an eye on her, anyway. So you don’t need to fry your neurons and die of preoccupation.”

It’s awkward — you’re awkward, meanwhile, the girl looks completely at ease as she takes another hold of smoke into her lungs, naked in all her glory. God, she’s so hot; her muscles are defined, and she’s simply beautiful, like a fallen angel. It takes all of you to not fall down on your knees immediately, begging to eat her out and make her scream in pleasure like she’s done to you. But you’re also tired, and you really need to let your friend know you’re alive and well. There’s nothing more that you hate than being a bother, so you can’t let her alone, wondering if you’ve forgotten about her presence.

“You really are good.” You stare at your hands, letting out a faint giggle. It’s amazing how suddenly shy you are, given how you were begging just minutes prior. “A good fuck, I mean. You are.” In a blink, you’re by the door, gripping the doorknob with an unnecessary amount of strength. “I hope to return the favor, someday.”

“Someday.” She says, tone enigmatic as ever. You’ve noticed she’s annoyingly good at hiding her expressions, always with a bored look on her face. “See you, Y/n.”

You don’t say anything else as you leave the room, losing yourself in the labyrinth of corridors without looking back.

-

Turns out Chaeryeong is still at the same place she was when you left, thankfully. She jumps into your arms as soon as she sees you, sighing in relief. “I’m going to kill you! Where have you been? I looked everywhere!”

You hold her firmly by the waist, her voice a few quarters higher than usual. Chaery might not be tall, but in this drunken state, she’s heavy, nearly dragging both of you to the ground. She laughs uncontrollably, happy to have you by her side once again.

“The bathroom line was too long.” You lie, taking the drink from her hands as you take a sip. It’s strong, provoking a nauseous sensation that you ignore as you swallow it down.

The lie comes naturally, not because you feel like you have to hide what happened from your best friend, but simply because you find yourself too tired to explain. She’s going to make you repeat yourself as soon as she sobers up again, anyway.

She knows it, though. “Liar! You were doing something.” The girl narrows her eyes, a confused expression on her face as she brushes the hair away from your neck. “Where’d you get a new necklac— Y/n! You dirty whore!”

You can’t help but laugh as she examines the hickeys Ryujin left on your skin, mouth opened in a big “O” — slightly pushing her off you. Chaeryeong stumbles, hitting the wall with her shoulders as she tries to gather her balance.

“I’ll tell you about it later, okay? M’ too tired right now.” You promise, not giving her drink back once she reaches out for it.

Chaeryeong doesn’t seem to mind, jumping up and down in excitement. She grabs you by the shoulders, shaking your body with a smile that nearly covers her entire face. “My girl’s getting some game, wow! I’m so happy for you, Y/n! You have no idea. Do you know how many times I wished you got someone? I seriously thought you were going to turn into a nun or something.”

“Hey!” You protest, “I’m not a prude! The last time I had kissed someone was like, last month or something.”

Chaery stops jumping, thankfully. She pays no mind to your grumbling, twirling, and moving along with the blasting music’s rhythm. “Sure, sure. Whatever you say.”

You eye her with narrowed eyes, but she stops all of her movements before you can give her a sneaky response. Her face pales, and she gulps deeply.

“Are you okay, Chaery?” No response. Chaeryeong’s eyes are fixated on the wall behind you, the colorful lights and blasting music from the living room surely doing nothing but overwhelming her even more.

“Yeah.” She looks up, sighing. “Just felt this sudden urge to t—“ The way she covers her mouth is enough of a sign, for you. Acting quickly, you pull her to the gardens, as Chaeryeong tries her best to not jerk her body forward. It’s immediate: she throws up as soon as she finds a bush to lean on, the effects of the alcohol, adrenaline, and visual stimulation from the party getting to her organism.

“I guess you kept your drinking game high while I was busy?” You ask, trying to lighten the mood. It works, you can tell Chaery’s laughing by the way her small shoulders move. She gives you a thumbs up, too, her face still shoved in between the leaves. “Okay. Are you good to be by yourself for a few moments? I’ll get you some water, then I’ll be right back.”

“Sure.” Your friend manages to say, lying down on the grass. Her hair is all messy, and her face remains pale. “I’m fine now, though. 100%.”

“I’m still getting you the water.” You get up from where you were kneeling, too, rushing towards the kitchen entry with hurried steps.

You’re not too worried, though. This wasn’t exactly an unusual situation — sometimes Chaeryeong would drink too much, too fast… sometimes you would. It was a pain in the ass, naturally, and you’d always wake up deeply hungover the next day, but it wasn’t something to be deeply preoccupied with.

Humming to yourself, you open the fridge, in hopes of finding a bottle of fresh water. It was better than going to the bar set in the lively living room and asking for one, anyway. You barely notice a girl standing next to you, handing exactly what you’re looking for. She’s one of Ryujin’s friends, you reckon — her sunset, pin-straight hair compliments her features effortlessly, as her hypnotizing eyes stare at you attentively.

You know a judgmental look when you see one. This one’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

“For your pretty friend.” She says, waiting patiently for you to take the bottle from her hands. You do, still silent, yet your lack of enthusiasm doesn’t scare her away. She keeps babbling, not minding you at all. “I hope she feels better.”

It’s as though she knows something you don’t, and the hidden mockery in the air leaves you uneasy.

“Thanks…” You murmur, playing with the bottle in your hands. Before you brush past her to return to your friend, she adds.

“—Yeji. That’s my name.” Yeji tucks a strand of hair behind her ear, waving you goodbye with feigned innocency. “Bye, Y/n. Make sure Chaeryeong arrives home safely.”

Chaery’s had an eye on her earlier, nearly fucking her from afar while you were in your own world, lost in thoughts. They probably had some fun before you came back to your friend, that’s all.

At least, that’s what you tell yourself as you lean next to Chaeryeong again, trying to ease the knot in your stomach as you give her the plastic bottle.

“Here, don’t drink it all at once.” You say, chuckling as the girl nearly drowns herself in the water, desperate to get rid of the bitter taste in her mouth. “It’s been a long day, Chaeryeong. Let’s go home.”

She gladly takes the hand you offer, groaning as she shakes the remains of grass from her pants. “I had fun, though. Today was a fun day, Y/n. Did you have fun too?”

There’s mischief all over her face, making it impossible for you to feel down. It’s her gift, being able to lift your spirits with her lame jokes and energetic nature.

“Of course, Chaery. I always have fun when I’m with you.” You nod.

Your words please her, and she leans her head against your shoulder as you make your way to the car, side by side.

It’s late, and you’re tired. You’d handle it all in the morning.

-

Despite the weariness that penetrates thick in your bones, you’re punctual as always, doodling in your journal by the counter as the sun fights its way up against the messy fog of the morning. It’s a routine you’ve been doing ever since you were a teenager: going out, partying, and going to so many places until dawn, while still showing up to work at the Diner in the following morning.

You’d get some rest, eventually. For now, the four hours of sleep you had were enough to keep you up, somehow. Besides, Saturday mornings are always some of the slowest days at the place, with hardly anyone coming for breakfast. People liked to sleep in, trying to gather all the hours they’ve lost from having to wake up early for work, you guess — which is why the place is empty, no customers to be seen.

There’s a hard slam on the corner, and you lift your eyes to follow the sound. You’re greeted by Rosé: her baby-pink hair is even messier than usual, and her leather jacket seems to be the only thing protecting her from the chilly weather. It does little to ease her, though — Your sister’s shorts expose her legs, dirty and scratched. At least her crop top is thick, the black clothing making her seem even more intimidating. And she smells of smoke, instead of her usual cologne.

“You look like shit.” You’re the first to break the silence, as your eyes return to your sketch. It’s not an easy thing to do, but you try your best to act indifferent to your sister’s piercing stare. “I’m taking you haven’t had any sleep at all.”

She’s fuming, you know that. Somehow, Rosé’s cold attitude is much worse than her red fire. Her quietness scares you, as it should. It’s never a good sign.

“Have you ever been anything other than useless, all your life?” She spits, and her words hurt, no matter how long you’ve mentally prepared yourself to have that talk, ever since you left the warehouse. “I asked you to do one thing, Y/n. One fucking thing, and you managed to fuck it all up! God, you’re such a failure.”

Your mouth is dry, all of your courage going down the drain as you stare at the woman in front of you. Suddenly, you’re a little kid again, playing your part as Rosé’s little doll so you’d receive a smile, a praise, anything from her. You’d do anything to get her to acknowledge you, having to fight for her attention like everyone else.

But not anymore.

She hits the counter again, visibly enraged. You shove your finger at her chest, fighting back before she destroys you with her words — like she’s so good at.

“And you’re a fucking liar! Fuck you, Rosé. You fucking lied to me, saying we’d meet Wendy because you knew damn well I’d say no to dealing with Jinsoul. And you know what? I was fucking right!” Saying the words out loud is enough to give you courage. When you speak again, your tone is low, sharp like she’d taught you. “We could’ve gotten seriously hurt out there, Rosé. And you were fully aware of that when you sent us into that fucking trap! You’re in no position to demand anything.”

Rosé runs her hands through her hair, and you can tell she’s exhausted, too. She’s always hidden things from you, so it’s impossible to know what’s going on in her life. Although you can’t bring yourself to care, anymore.

“We need that money, Y/n!” She shouts, exasperated. If her stare could burn, you’d be long dead. “How do you think things work, huh? Who do you think is paying for that fancy college of yours — our house, the food we eat every day? It’s me! I provide for us, with that dirty money you hate so much. So wake up! Fucking idiot. Stop being such a burden and help, for once.”

You know it’s true. Even though your father is supposedly the one in charge, Rosé is the true leader. Needless to say, you’re grateful for all of those things.

Which doesn’t make Rosé any less of an asshole.

“You’re a shit sister.” You lean on the chair, your icy tone placing a blunt contrast to her fiery screams. “And an absolutely horrible person. I despise you.”

A flash of hurt passes through Rosé’s eyes, so fast you wonder if you’ve imagined it. But as fast as it happens, it’s over with. Instantly, her defenses are up again, and your sister looks down on you, rolling her eyes as she crosses her arms in the middle of her chest.

“You’re tiring me.” She huffs, her tone making it clear she is done with the conversation. Rosé leans on the counter and shoves your shoulders on a punch before storming away, slamming the entry door loudly. “I’m going out, to clean the mess you’ve made. Like always.”

Tears start to cloud your vision as you watch her hop on her car, the roaming of the engines making her feelings clear enough for anyone to understand. She’s an asshole, you know it; but it’s hard to not be upset by her lack of care towards you. You long for her approval and affection, getting anything other than that is enough to leave you deeply hurt.

It’s frustrating, to feel like that over such a shitty situation. You don’t even know if the tears you shed come from sadness or from anger, as you brush them away from your face.

A lithe figure hits the window to grab your attention, and you’re deeply surprised to see Ryujin barging in, walking towards you in confident steps. She chooses the table closest to you, resting her arms over the chairs next to hers.

“Good morning, Y/n.” She says, completely comfortable.

“Morning.” You can’t help but frown, confused. At least her presence offers enough of a distraction from your actual problems. “What are you doing here, Ryujin?”

Ryujin smiles, her eyes small and dazed, so pretty it should be a crime. The rays of weak sunlight brighten her face, making her seem almost innocent. Much different from the night prior. “I heard this place had great food, so I came to check. I woke up pretty hungry, you know.”

“Sure.” You hum, eyeing her suspiciously.

“I’ll have some waffles, pancakes, and coffee. Black, and with no sugar, please.” She says, after looking at the menu. You nod, making your way to the kitchen as quickly as possible, in hopes of escaping her intense stares.

It’s unsettling, how you’re able to feel her gaze burning holes on your back. The sensation takes you back to the night prior, a tingling sensation looking for a place in your core. You push it away, opening the double doors of the cooking area.

“Yoona unnie?” You look for the woman, watching her put her phone down to pay you attention. Smiling, you hand her a small note. “We have a customer.”

“Oh, so early! No one comes on Saturdays.” She mumbles, peeking out behind you to spot Ryujin, who stares at the road in boredom. “I’ll prepare it quickly. Meanwhile, you can go entertain her.”

You laugh at Yoona’s suggestion, shaking your head. “I’d rather wait here, with you.”

Yoona’s face turns serious, as she points at you. “No one is allowed in the kitchen while I cook. Goodbye, Y/n.” You grumble, having no choice but to go back to Ryujin while the woman pushes you out the doors.

Having coffee without any sugar is a trait reserved for psychopaths, which you think suits Ryujin well. You pour her drink in your favorite mug, before returning to her table.

“I thought you also cooked.” The raven-haired girl stands when you approach, promptly pulling the chair in front of herself.

She gestures for you to sit, and you frown, ready to argue that you are still working. The knowing look she gives you is enough to make you sit down, obedient.

“I can’t cook to save my life.” You explain, giggling to cover the shame of having to admit such a fact. “Yoona does it effortlessly, though. Her pastries are the best.”

Ryujin nods, scrunching her nose as she looks around. “And where’s your friend, may I ask?” Her smirk turns playful, pointy canines exposed at you. “Are you not taking care of her right now?”

“She’s not a child, right? She can take care of herself.” Although you play along in her game — repeating what she’d told you the day prior, you’re also quick to add. “Besides, she’s sleeping right now. Chaery always sleeps until late after a party.”

“Lucky her.” Ryujin whistles, and you agree. You wish you could sleep like your best friend, too. Not only did Chaeryeong often sleep until late at noon, but she’s also the heaviest sleeper you’ve ever met, unlike yourself. You envy her ability to sleep through literally anything possible.

Yoona calls for you to get Ryujin’s order, which you quickly do. The dishes look impeccable once you place them on the table. Yoona never misses.

It wasn’t rare to have customers who came by themselves, with the desire to have a moment of peace and enjoy their meals. With that in mind, you motion to leave, leaving Ryujin alone to do just that. She surprises you by grabbing your hand, ever so gently.

“This one’s for you, actually.” She pushes the pancake plate in your direction, hand still holding on to yours. Her fingers trace gentle circles in your palm. “Would mind joining me? I hate to eat alone.”

Leaving you without words is, apparently, one of Ryujin’s many talents. Once again, you feel drawn to her, incapable of saying no. It’s something in her eyes, you suppose; the way she stares at you, attentive, from the moment you first met each other. She acknowledges every little detail about you, and most importantly, she listens. You didn’t know someone could understand you entirely like that — it’s both thrilling and scary, to know you’re so aligned.

“I don’t really have a choice, do I?” You murmur, and she shakes her head, in a clear sign that you don’t.

The two of you eat, soon engaged in lively conversation. It’s a pleasant surprise, to know Ryujin is much more than a pretty, intimidating face: she’s smart, funny, and very attentive. You both enjoy the same books, and she’s respectful and mindful when sharing her perspective about topics you disagree on. Time flies, and you find yourself comfortable in her presence.

Getting you to talk about yourself is difficult — even Chaeryeong has to ask repeatedly to get information from you. You just can’t help it: being raised to be a discreet, private person has created the habit of bottling up your emotions, and hiding things until you couldn’t handle them anymore.

However, the words flow freely with Ryujin. You want to share about your life, your hobbies, the people you love… it’s just somewhat easy when it comes to her.

And she doesn’t seem bothered in the slightest. Far from that, Ryujin drinks from you: acknowledging every little detail about yourself, enchanted and marveled.

You barely notice how quickly you’ve eaten breakfast, not even a small bite left. Ryujin is surprised, too, to not have noticed either. You’ve distracted her and knocked down her defenses without even meaning to do so.

“Okay, so I might’ve come here with a purpose…” She says, and you shake your head. Of course, she did. “In my defense, I found this on my bedside table, a little after you left, and it looked pretty fancy to just keep to myself.”

In her hands, there’s a cross necklace, shining in bright silver. Your fingers go to your neck unconsciously, in hopes of touching the one you kept with yourself at all times — only to hold on to the air, instead. You grasp, bile bundling up in your stomach at the thought of the hours you’ve spent without your precious necklace.

As soon as you reach out for it, Ryujin holds the jewelry away from your hands.

“May I?” She unclasps the lock, gesturing to where it should be rested.

You nod, eager to have your necklace back. Holding your hair away from your face, you turn around, waiting for her. Her breath is hot on the back of your neck, and for a moment, you think she might kiss you. Instead, she takes a step back, a proud look on her face as she runs her thumb against the bruises on your collarbone. “There. All done, angel.”

“Thank you.” The words that leave your mouth are sincere, and you can’t muster how grateful you truly are. “I… Thank you, really. This is so important to me. How can I repay you?”

No matter how much you might hate Rosé at the current moment, that necklace means everything to you. It reminds you of a time when things were less complicated. When you were too young to understand what was truly going on in your life, lost in the innocence of childhood.

“Don’t worry about it.” Ryujin brushes it off, getting up quickly. She drops some money on the table, definitely much more than what she’s ordered. “We’ll see each other soon. Bye, Y/n. You look beautiful, by the way.”

Just as fast as she appeared, Ryujin’s gone. Leaving you to wonder what’s underneath all that mysterious façade, you go back to your chores, unable to brush the raven-haired girl off from your thoughts.

—

Rosé’s been having one hell of a week. Weeks, or even a month.

As if dealing with her family’s business wasn’t enough, with people constantly waiting for an opportunity to betray her and plan their downfall, this new gang that’s been stealing all her clients and supplies has been pissing her off in ways she didn’t deem possible. And now, she has your stupid feelings to worry about. God, you’re so damn sensitive it drives her crazy.

“Rosie?” Lisa’s voice reminds the woman she’s in the middle of a meeting — one she called herself. “What’s going on? You’ve been distracted ever since you walked through the door.”

“Yeah. This fucking sucks, but don’t fret too much. It’s not like we’ve not dealt with situations like those before. Those bitches will get what they deserve.” Jisoo says, in an attempt to soothe Rosé’s nerves. Her tone is excited — perhaps too much.

She’s always been a little masochist.

They’re right, which only makes Rosé more frustrated. She should be planning her revenge, not pouting over a stupid fight.

“I know, it’s just—“ She sighs. “Never mind. Let’s get this over with.”

They all nod, chatting vividly, but Rosé’s phone lights up before she’s able to join the conversation. There’s a message from an unknown number, which is unusual.

The content of it is what unsettles her the most. Her mouth dries and the air runs from her lungs as she stares at the image sent — A picture of you, boobs covered by someone’s arms and bare waist filled with bruises.

The message under it says Thank you for the guns and the snack. I’ll make sure to come back for more, later.

It doesn’t have a slight indication of who sent it, but Rosé doesn’t need a confirmation. She knows exactly who did.

“Jennie!” She screams, even though the girl is not far away from herself, sitting by the long table in the dining room. “Grab the stuff immediately. We’ll do this at my house, instead.” And so she turns, barging orders as she goes.

No one’s going to use her little sister as bait and live.

This newcomer might’ve had a few strikes of beginner's luck, but Rosé’s patience had run thin. She wouldn’t tolerate any insolences anymore, no.

She’ll have Ryujin’s head.

[rosedere]

The Liyue Lotus and the Merchant from Snezhnaya

(Pantalone x Fem! Reader)

MDNI +18

Cw: kidnapping, stalking, non con elements, graphic violence (later chapters), yandere content, pregnancy mentioned, forced marriage, female/ fem aligned Reader, *will update as the series goes on

Cross posted on AO3

Previous Chapter: Mora Eater

Current Chapter: Lotus in Transcience (you are here)

Next Chapter: Communication lost in the mountains

If you like the feeling of a hard rain falling

I have a sea full, I can give you an ocean

We shouldn't have to work so hard to break this wave in our way

Shouldn't wanna walk away so you won't see the fear I face

-

Left stripped of your fine clothes and tucked in was how you found yourself when you awoke.

Alone.

You didn't even hear him leave.

Only being awoken to the mystical light that flooded the cavernous opening around the top of the tower.

Left in the luxurious room from last night you sat up in the expensive sheets with pantalones lingering scent wafting with each hit of the sheets.

Knees tucked underneath yourself as you observed the room you were in.

You assumed the room was violet and dark ebony coded only instead the morning rays revealed the black and red detailing on the wood walls and wood floors of a rich wood most liyue homes did not have.

The canopy a dark gem blue shade glittering in the sunlight around you like gems in a cave.

At this point as you sat slack jawed in his bed you weren't completely sure what you were supposed to do. He left you alone in his bed with no way to get back to the harbor.

You scolded yourself as you realized what you truly did. 

Remembering glimpses of letting Pantalone own you were all you remembered.

So vulnerable to him, you cringe at yourself for even pretending to trust him.

your clothes weren't anywhere, especially not on the bedside where you were undressed.

You were just left to wrap the thick sheets around yourself feeling warm in the cold dewy air beginning to seep into the open balcony across from the bed.

“Good morning my lady,” Galinas cheerful self sang out from the sliding door as she hummed a tune you'd never heard before as she went towards the wardrobe on the south wall.

Instinctively you wrapped the sheets tighter around your chest covering your front as well as you could at the fast approaching bodyguard who was humming unlocking the dark ornate wardrobe.

“My lord deeply apologizes for leaving without saying a word but~” she held her pointer finger up

She hooked her hands on the inside of the carved hand piece outside of the wardrobe before opening the large door to you.

You wouldn't believe your eyes seeing the array of different spectrums of colors and types of fabric stuffed into the medium sized wardrobe with ease.

It had to be more than enough things to clothe a whole village at least.

“My lord has graciously supplied you with clothes to wear during your stay here until his return” she bowed, moving to the side of the wardrobe.

“Wait, stay?” You narrowed your eyes

“Yes! A whole month of relaxation away from the busy harbor” she giggled as she went towards the stone lined bathroom.

You froze.

“The whole month?” You asked a gasp.

Galina turned around to lean against the wood frame to face you.

“Yes my lady, consider this a special privilege” she crossed her hand over her chest.

“I know it seems like there isn't much to do at first glance and all but there's actually a lot you can do around here” 

You only smiled as you clenched the cool sheets harder, your knuckles growing white from your grip.

“Now let me get your bath started so your day can begin” Galina exclaimed before going inside the open bathroom in front of where you were sitting.

“You know—Galina— I think I can dress myself and shower for the day” 

The rustic golden faucet was already turned on to your dismay as the sound of water filling echoed into the room.

“Please Galina” you begged, glancing towards the bathroom entrance.

“Nope! My lord said that me and fedor are to treat you as he would if he was here” Galina’s voice echoed.

You groaned but after a few moments of waiting you decided to wrap the sheet around yourself before you finally joined Galina in the restroom.

“Please” 

Galina turned her face being obscured by her fatui mage mask leaving it a mystery what she was truly emoting beyond you.

“No ”

“Such a stubborn lotus lián ” 

“Our lord wasn’t lying when he said you were modest”

Galina shook her head as she felt the warm steam spiraling from the stone carved tub of dark stone. 

“But-”

“No buts” 

Crossing your arms you stayed sulking across the bamboo lined bathroom watching the water be filled with different oils and some unique cubes that smelled of warm custard and vanilla began to color the everclear water with a ivory shade.

“The water should be perfect if you want to get in” Galina lifted her hand from the water moving towards the tall ornate rack beside the stone tub.

“Or will I have to push you in” 

“No-no i'll get in just…”

Galina raised a brow from over her mask.

“Please turn around” you awkwardly asked.

“Of course my lady” 

She turned towards the wall staying firmly in place while you untied your sheet covering your body leaving the sheet on the cool marble ground, sitting on the edge of the ledge you let your toe test the water before completely submerging into the milky, fragrant mixture.

“Is the bath to your liking my lady”

You looked back towards the wall to see galina with the utmost patience at the spring wood on the wall.

“Its very different than what im used to”

You completely sink your chest under the water letting yourself be soaked in the small white petals swirling in the water.

“You know you can turn around Galina” you reassured

“Ah of course my lady”

You could see the dark violet flash of her cloak as she faced you standing in an attentive way.

“Lián”

You only looked over the steamy bath towards Galina.

“would you feel comfortable for me to wash you?”

Your face heated at the suggestion only making an awkward sound from the back of your throat akin to gagging.

“Is this a snezhnaya thing or something?” You gawked.

Galina only laughed allowing you to hear her laugh for the first time since she had become your bodyguard of sorts.

“i'll assume you've never been bathed before my lady lián”

you only sunk into the water even more.

“Trust me once our lord returns you'll have more than enough baths you won't ever go back to those cold streams you bath in” 

Your mind blanked out at the mention.

Cold streams…

Silently you looked over at galina who was grabbing a small wash cloth and different tools you saw once in a high end salon where Yelan and Keqing had gone to.

“How did you know about that”

You lifted your knees to your chest.

No one knows about my childhood 

Galina only brought the items to the natural stacked ledge besides where you were soaking, humming a small tune as she grabbed a stone like item.

“I've heard from different subordinates that Liyue uses cold streams of water to shower; I just naturally assumed my lady”

She grabbed your arms closest to her, extending it before the rough surface of the stone rubbed over your arms.

“I hope I didn't step on your toes”she quickly added apologetically.

you shook your head watching as she scrubbed your arms and back with the stone and washcloth.

“No not at all” 

Galina only continued to scrub you in the tub idly scrubbing away at your skin.

“You should relax lián; you know it isn't good to be this tense” she pressed into your legs.

“I'm just… thinking” 

“About what my lady?”

“If it's about the banker he should be barely leaving the harbor right now”

“What do you mean? Wasn't he supposed to be gone early in the morning” you turned your head inquisitively to Galina still carrying on rubbing the rough stone on your feet.

“He was but… he had something to take care of first in the harbor before he left” she murmured lowly.

You hummed in acknowledgement; galina grabbed your feet from the tub leading them to the cool natural ledge before she began to give your feet a pedicure of sorts.

“Oh wow your feet seem awfully rough my lady” galina poked and prodded at your feet.

“A bit unfitting for the harbingers fiancee” 

You began to furiously blush before you puffed your cheek.

“I'm surprised a apothecary woman would have feet as if they've ran around in rocks all day” 

“I travel around the harbor a lot” 

You purse your lips together.

“Well thank goodness we have a whole month to spend together. I can make you look like a princess by the time our lord comes back” galina happily continued scrubbing your feet.

“Yeah”

Thank goodness 

-

“Are you sure I need all of this to go to the harbor” 

You pulled at the loose peach and orange train pooling around the entrance of the veranda.

“No no Lián, leave the dress alone!” Galina exclaimed from behind you running up the stacked staircase where your dress was currently laying.

“But this seems so… dramatic for a trip to the market” you frowned.

You looked down at the flowing dress you wore. this one being more summery and bigger on you with colors that reminded you of a sunsettia, the fabric wrapping around your neck covering your chest and eventually being tied in a ribbon on the back of the skirt of the dress.

“Remember what I said Lián~” 

Galina retired the ribbons on the back of your dress.

“Princess training began this morning!”

She said with her hands on her hips.

“Whatever i'll just got find Fedor this instant to free me from this torture ” you walked up towards the steep steps leading inside.

“oh you think he isn't in the know lián?” Galina giggled

“He was the first one I explained my plan to” 

You stopped in the doorway crossing your arms.

“Lián, are you ready?” Fedor's voice came from within the hazy sitting room ahead of you.

Moving out of the way for your bodyguard as he materialized from fire energy next to you this hood covering him as usual.

“Of course, but I'd like to ask if I can go back home first to collect something ” 

Fedor and Galina stayed silent at your request.

“Im afraid—”

“We can't let you go back to your previous home”

You raised a brow.

“It's not that we want to but our lord explicitly told us to keep you here”

“In your new abode” 

You sighed, “well if he said so I guess i'll wait”

They only both continued in front of you as they guided you out from the cave into the cavern opening.

The clouds were low making it hard for you to determine the exact location you were at, a path presumably leading down the mountain was the only notable thing you could take note of.

A small carriage was waiting in front of the large rocks lining the entrance of the tall cave. A few agents standing guard next the carriage looking to be regular fatui soldiers as they each nodded as you strided past, your two guards following diligently behind you.

When you reached the carriage you were about to step inside when the door opened only for you to be stopped by fedors large gloved hand on your bare shoulder.

“My lady wait—”

Ruffling in his coat pocket he pulled a dark blindfold out.

“I'm sorry we must do this as a security measure my lady”

He wrapped the blindfold around your face, securing it behind your ears.

Unfortunately it was thick enough to not see much under or over the opaque cloth.

Presumably Galina grabbed your hand leading you into the carriage along with Fedor carrying the length of your dress into the carriage.

Sitting on the velvet seats you felt the carriage go forward carrying on the descent down the mountain.

Trying to notice the different twists and steep turns you listened for anything to give a hint on where the mountain was.

“Once we get to the base of the mountains we should be able to free you from the blindfold” fedor spoke from your left side.

“And then we should be at the market in about 20 minutes,” Galina spoke from your right side.

You nodded fiddling with the loose fabric around your lap as the carriage continued a while longer around a turn.

“So….” 

You cleared your throat.

“Does all of pantalones conquest get this treatment”

“My lady! You are not just a one night stand” Galina nudged your arm.

“yes my lady, you are his beloved”

“I'm going to assume he just told you to say that in case I asked” you shrugged, “besides i'm sure he's got many choices in snezhnaya”

“please my lady don't be so modest”

“I'll try ”

Finally the carriage took a swift turn before you felt fedor grab your blindfold.

“The harbor awaits” 

You felt the blindfold come off seeing the familiar harbor you'd seen for many decades.

Your home 

The market near the bustling harbor was the first stop, many different wares were brought since it was the first of the month allowing you to walk the pier system below and look for exotic wares you couldn't afford usually.

The only perk to pantalone. 

The stares of the people around you was a massive weight on your shoulders.

A few vendors assumed you immediately to be royalty or from the few families of wealth in the harbor.

Others looked and leered at your guards surrounding you as you went to food stalls to get different foods.

But you didn't see the pair of eyes you needed to see.

Only, luck was somehow on your side.

Galina suddenly stiffened up as she got behind you, her lantern brimming with electricity crackling around you causing you to jump away.

Unaware of what was happening you tried to move forward to see what she was preparing to fight you felt Fedor grab you moving you away towards the alley next to the tall tree above the market.

Peeking over the tall fatui agent you were able to see the millelith 

Finally they noticed 

You didn't know Galina could fight until now; the clash between the spears and her electricity struck the soldiers before it’d disperse violently in dark purple and electric blue hues lighting the colorful market as she twirled and generated more electro energy.

The immense number of millelith swarming the area grew as Galina tried her best to take them down one by one,

Seeing her grow sloppy in her movements you watched Fedor stealthy disappear into the shadows casted underneath the sparse trees.

Reappearing amongst the millelith was all you saw as him and galina began to fiercely fight on against the barrage of assaults occurring around you.

A blue thin line was casted around your waist, the familiar thread like luminous blue strings glowed around you before you were picked up from where you were standing against the vacant alley.

Elemental energy vibrating around your arms as you suddenly found yourself on the rooftop of the shipyard.landing with a rough thud you were brought to your knees as your flash of orange and blush dress fell around you like a vibrant flower petal on rooftop shingles.

“Huh I guess I was worried for nothing” 

A familiar mischevious voice approached behind you.

“All dressed up and well fed” her manicured hands picked up the orange train on the back of your long dress.

You rose to your feet only glaring back at your lavish boss a sight you wouldnt admit was welcomed.

“Yeah, yeah— why the sudden rescue? You said you'd never interfere in any operations unless…”

Your eyes widen with realization as you turned to yelan.

A grim expression on her face as she looked you deep in your eyes with sincerity.

“So the worst has come upon us then?”

“Worst I fear” yelan exhaled

Worst news than we can imagine 

-

Pacing back and forth combing your manicured nails through your hair nervously, you couldn't stop yourself from shaking as you looked over to the sprawling deep navy ocean in front of Yelan and yourself.

“What the hell do we do? Pantalone left to snezhnaya this morning”

“He could be resuming his hunt for the rest of us right now and we wouldnt even know” 

The wind picking up;feeling the breeze flow through your dress. 

“Your thinking is too grim (name)” Yelan crossed her arms before sitting on the raised shingles of the roof.

“Lau, Dan, and Lo are missing; not dead as far as I know” 

“yes but five of our subordinates are dead. They could be bodies floating in Qingxu pool right now” you scratched your neck.

“If it's the fatui i'm next and eventually…”

“You” 

Yelan only laughed a hardy loud laugh as she clenched her stomach.

“How dare they think they can take me down let alone take you too” she wiped a tear from her eye.

“No,the worst news is going to be what i'm about to tell you”

You only frowned before nodding for her to continue.

“Your going to be solo for the rest of this mission indefinitely”

“your dead in the water (name)” 

disbelief was all you felt as you clenched the sides of your head.

“So what, im just stuck with that harbinger until when?” You fiddled with your hair.

”I’m sorry (name) I can't pull you out until we catch The Regerator” 

“The risk is greater than you can imagine; if he finds out your working for us he could hold you hostage or worst”

Shaking your head in disgusts you didnt bother answering only letting your head fall, staring at the few trees below.

”I know you have your vision, if the worst comes up I know you could protect yourself”

”don't even bother”

You stood up on the roof letting your dress billow behind you as you approached the ledge of the roof.

”I’ll take the Regerator down by myself, no vision required”

looking around you saw the ally you were previously corralled in before you took one step back.

”see you” 

Jumping from the roof into the alley with your dress made a parachute like effect, gracefully landing on your sandal clad feet onto the stony road.

It seemed the millelith was gone but your guards were frantically searching around the small market square, their obvious hoods looking around the few stalls that were still present from the fight that probably ensued while you were gone. The thought to slip off once more came to your mind only to be abruptly stopped.

Despite the lingering spite of yelan pretty much abandoning you 

Her warning was what stopped you.

you were indifferent about taking down the Regerator at this point; but the overwhelming question of where your three coworkers were.

and hoping the worst wouldn't happen to you as well.

“Lián!”

Galinas iron grip around your arm was all you felt as she dragged you out from the shadows into the bright sunny day.

”Thank Archons we found you”

Fedor quickly rejoined you from behind as he inspected your bare arms and face.

“It should be safe now lady Lián, apparently we were confused for a few other fatuus that were wanted” Fedor began to guide you along with galina towards the main road to the harbor.

”But there shouldn’t be any more interruptions,” Galina chirped from beside you.

nodding was all you could say, or all you were free to say.

[waywardxrhea]

Part of Your World - George Weasley

Chapter 17

pairing: George Weasley x fem!Muggle!reader

installment list / previous chapter / next chapter

word count: 5,915

content: protective 👏🏻 george 👏🏻 weasley 👏🏻, lots of pregnancy/baby stuff this chapter, arthur getting to experience more muggle medical stuff, medical stuff (needles, blood), emotions and insecurity, tears (happy mostly!), george being the sweetest husband ever

“George!” you shouted into the quiet that surrounded you as you lounged on the loveseat in your new sitting area. A couple weeks before, the two of you had finally taken a plunge you had been discussing since you found out you were pregnant: moving into a house on the outskirts of London. You needed room for your growing family that the flat above the shop simply couldn’t provide, not to mention that you always felt like a bother having to take George away from work to come get you from Charing Cross Road. The walls were still mostly barren because of only being able to move so much in at a time between both of your busy schedules, so the call for your husband echoed slightly through the space. 

“Everything okay?” George asked as he ran into the area, wand at the ready in case you were in danger. 

Your heart fluttered at the sight of George’s protective side, but you ignored the tears prickling the backs of your eyes as you giggled quietly and said, “Everything’s fine, come here!” You sat up with a quiet grunt of effort and allowed space beside you for George to sit. After he did, you grabbed his hands and placed them on either side of your belly, telling him, “Wait for it…”

You reached into the bowl of Bertie Bott's that George had sorted to try to ensure you only had the good flavours, and ate one that tasted like marshmallow. As the sweet flavour coated your tongue, you felt another gentle movement in your abdomen as Fred kicked against George’s hand. A wide smile made its way across his face and tears began to sting the backs of his eyes as he asked, “Did…did he just kick?”

You nodded enthusiastically, and a tear slipped out of your eye as George leaned down to kiss your bump before straightening up and kissing your lips gently. When you pulled away and rested your forehead on his, you said with a quiet laugh, “I finally figured out what makes him kick! He’s going to be very disappointed the first time he gets a bad flavoured one when he’s older.”

“If it keeps the both of you happy, I’ll make sure I take the bad ones for the rest of my life,” George told you before sneaking another kiss. 

“Oh, don’t you go making me cry!” you chastised as more tears flooded from your eyes. 

“Well, while we’re at it, I may as well show you the progress I made on the nursery,” he said with a laugh as he got up and held out a hand to help you off of the loveseat. When you got into the room, you saw that along with the crib that your dad had helped you build on his day off, George had put in a mobile that had little brooms racing around chasing after golden snitches. There were also small to medium sized portraits that held both Muggle and magical creatures alike that wandered through the frames to play together! As you covered your mouth at the sweet gesture, George asked, “You like them? I saw the mobile in a shop window on the way to work today, and I just couldn’t resist! I got Luna to paint the portraits, and she said she would be willing to paint the room itself if we want!” 

“They’re all brilliant!” you said through your tight throat, emotions welling up in your chest at the sight. You threw yourself into George’s arms and you held him as close as your bump would allow as you whispered, “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” 

“Of course,” he replied as he ran a hand up and down your back. “I was thinking that she could paint a mountainscape and have a couple of dragons on it that fly around the room!”

Once you gathered yourself, you laughed quietly before saying, “When Abbie and Jaz come over, you’re going to have to freeze all the paintings, but that sounds amazing, love! I think he’ll love it!” You were quiet for a moment before telling him, “Thank you for agreeing to move us into this place. It was getting hard to keep coming up with excuses as to why the girls couldn’t come over to help with the nursery…”

“We needed the change and the space,” George replied, giving you a kiss on your temple as you turned so your back was resting against his chest. His hands landed on your bump once more before he said, “I can’t wait to see what the future holds for the three of us.”

“Me too,” you said, a grateful sigh leaving your chest as the both of you swayed to the quiet music playing from the radio sitting in the corner of the nursery. 

At your next appointment with your OB, Arthur joined you and George as you all waited in the small examination room. When the doctor walked in, she smiled warmly at Arthur after glancing between him and George and asked brightly, “Are you granddad?” 

“That I am!” he replied 

“Nailed it!” she said with a laugh. As the doctor pulled on her gloves and turned on the machine, she asked Arthur, “Is this your first?”

“Third, actually, but first grandson!” Arthur replied. “I didn’t go to anything like this with the others, so I’m excited to see how it all works!”

“Dad’s always been a curious mind, he’ll probably have a lot of questions,” George told her with a quiet chuckle. 

“That’s fine by me,” she said before turning her attention toward you. “How’ve we been feeling, Mum?”

“A little sleep deprived if I’m honest,” you admitted. You placed a hand on your bump and said, “This little guy doesn’t seem to ever want to sleep at night!”

“That’s about normal at this stage, I call it practise for when he arrives,” she said. “Do you have a pregnancy pillow?” 

“I don’t, would that be useful?” you asked curiously as you lifted your shirt and lowered the band of your maternity bottoms so she could conduct the ultrasound. 

“God, yes! They are a miracle for supporting your belly while you sleep on your side,” she said. A laugh spilled out of her mouth as she added to George, “Now, you sir may not get to be the big spoon as often if she gets one, but, I say it’s worth it for a better night’s sleep!”

“Consider it done,” George said, taking your hand in his and squeezing it lightly. 

The doctor then started squeezing the cool gel on your belly, asking, “Ready to see him?” 

She placed the wand to your belly and moved it around to try and find the little baby inside, and when she did, you couldn’t help the smile on your face as Arthur breathed, “My goodness! Is that really-? How does it-? This is brilliant!”

“There’s Fred,” you said, your smile evident in your voice as the doctor began telling Arthur all about how the machine worked. 

When you and George got back home after the appointment, you grabbed some loose bills from your purse and handed them to George, saying with a laugh, “I really thought he would cry when he saw the ultrasound! If not for seeing Fred, for the Muggle technological feat!”

“I told you it would be when he heard his heartbeat, but someone didn’t listen,” he said teasingly as he pulled you into a sweet kiss. 

“Well I’m just glad he got to be there,” you said after the kiss ended. You laughed quietly before adding, “Gosh, your mum nearly threw a fit when she saw the stitches on my leg after my surgery, I’m kinda scared of what her reaction is going to be when I’m at the hospital having him. What, with all of the monitors and medications and everything… It’s a far leap from St. Mungo’s.”

“Which is why if you want her to wait to see us until after he’s born, we can make that happen,” George told you. He stood behind you and wrapped you in a hug before saying, “I know she’s been warming up to Muggle things, but she’s spent her whole life relying on magic, it’s hard to change her mind on some things.”

“I know, and I’m not trying to change that, I just want to make sure things go smoothly,” you said as you relaxed into his embrace.

“And if they don't, that's okay too. As long as Fred gets here safe and healthy,” he said, giving you a kiss on the temple as his thumb ran up and down on your bump. 

“That’s what matters most,” you agreed. The two of you spent a few more moments in each other’s arms until you heard the knock on your front door indicating that your parents were there for dinner and to hear about how the appointment went. 

March rolled around, and you were definitely feeling all thirty weeks of your pregnancy weighing on you. You sighed in frustration and felt hot tears begin to prick at the back of your eyes as you gave in and tossed a pair of socks across the room in defeat. The socks barely missed George as he crossed through the doorway to take off his dress robes and change into something more comfortable for the evening. “Woah, what did those socks do to you?” he asked with a chuckle as he hung his travelling cloak on a hanger and placed it in its proper spot. 

“I’m so big I can’t even put my own socks on!” you replied, your voice breaking at the end of your sentence. You sighed and began rubbing the heels of your hands into your eyes to try and stop the tears from flowing. You couldn’t cry over this again, it would be the third time this week you got upset over how you looked, and you were beginning to feel like a burden to George for getting so worked up over it. It was just…there were always relentless thoughts running through your head about how you looked so different now… How maybe you wouldn't look the same after… How George probably thought you looked nowadays compared to before… 

Your insecure thoughts were interrupted when you finally registered George kneeled in front of you, holding your hands in his as he whispered your name to get your attention. “There she is,” he said with a soft smile as your eyes zoned back into reality. He brought your hand to his mouth and kissed the back of it before adding, “My beautiful, strong, brilliant, one-of-a-kind wife whom I love.” 

“George…” you lightly chastised at the words, heat creeping up your neck in response. 

“It’s the truth,” he said. “Not to mention sexy,” he added with a cheeky wink and smirk. 

“I’m not-” you tried before your words were stopped by a kiss from George. 

“You’re not finishing that sentence,” he said firmly as he stood up and grabbed your hand. “Now, would you like me to draw you a bath? You’ve had a stressful week with directing rehearsals, and I can tell you’re getting in your own head again.”

“George, you don’t have to-”

You were once again cut off by a kiss before he told you, “You need to relax. Now, what scent bubble bath were you thinking? I’ll brew you a cuppa while we wait.”

“Lavender would be nice,” you said quietly as you cast your gaze to the ground, a tear streaking down your cheek at your husband’s kindness. 

“Then lavender it is,” he said. He guided you to the bathroom that connected to your bedroom and waved his wand a couple of times to start the water and summon the lavender bubble bath to pour into the tub. George gently grabbed your chin and directed your gaze to meet his and he kissed you once more before telling you, “I love you. I’ll be right back.”

“I love you too,” you replied, your voice barely above a whisper and thick with emotion. 

When George returned with your cuppa, he placed it on the counter nearby and began helping you out of your clothes and into the bath. He lightly ran his hands along your curves and whispered, “So beautiful,” as he held your hand and assisted you into the tub. As you submerged into the just warm enough water, you could feel the tension start to leave your muscles and you felt much lighter as the water began to surround you. “There you go, just relax,” George murmured. He kissed your shoulder gently before he began massaging them, causing an even more content sigh to leave your lips as your eyes closed. 

As you enjoyed the massage and took in the soothing lavender smell, you attempted to push aside all thoughts of your play which was nearing time for the company to begin full rehearsals. You also tried to abandon all thoughts about voice lesson plans for the upcoming week, and even thoughts about the upcoming delivery of Fred. You simply tried to hone in on the timbre of George’s voice as he spoke sweet nothings while taking care of you. 

During your soak, besides massaging the tension from your shoulders, George also took the time to shave your legs which you hadn’t been able to since your belly started getting bigger and bigger. After the water and suds all drained from the tub and George helped you dry off, he applied your favourite lotion all over your body and slipped a silk nightie on you. He helped you into bed as well before grabbing the socks you had tossed away in frustration earlier and slipped them on your feet. They were a fuzzy pair that Molly had knitted you, and on overwhelming days like today, they helped you ground yourself. 

“Feel better?” George asked as he climbed into the bed beside you, pulling you into his embrace. 

“Much, thank you…” you whispered, tears beginning to run down your cheeks. You sniffled and wiped them away, telling him, “I don’t know what I ever did to deserve you, George…”

“You being exactly who you are is what you did,” he replied, running a hand up and down your upper arm gently. “Taking care of you is the least I can do. You’re carrying our child, for Merlin’s sake! You deserve for this to be a nightly occurrence.”

“Don’t threaten me with a good time,” you said with a quiet laugh as you relaxed into George’s side. 

The rest of the night was spent in each other’s arms, simply enjoying one another’s company. In your relaxed state, you fell asleep without even knowing it, and for the night George was your pillow. He didn’t mind one bit though, especially when he got to feel his baby moving around in your belly. As George closed his eyes, he had a content smile on his face, and he dreamt of how things would be once Fred came into the world in a few short weeks. 

“Okay, everyone, once more from the top of the scene with those things in mind please!” you called out to the performers on the stage in front of you, who nodded and began resetting props on the stage. 

You placed a hand on your bump and let out a slow breath as you watched the cast reset, and jumped when a voice broke into your thoughts suddenly. “How are things going? Have you gotten them into shape yet?” asked the voice of your co-director Madeline who had taken a few weeks off to take care of her sick father back in Ireland. 

“They’re almost there, they just need to find their passion for the scene. I think we got it after the talk we just had,” you replied, flashing a bright smile in her direction. 

As you turned toward her fully, her eyes gravitated toward your belly, and her eyebrows raised into her forehead. “You’re going to have that baby any day now!” 

“Due date’s next week. I’d be lying if I said I couldn’t wait to get him out,” you admitted with a sheepish laugh as you rubbed your bump affectionately. “Not only will I get to see him, but then he can do his cartwheels outside of my body.”

Madeline laughed lightly before saying, “My money’s on him coming early.”

“Well, for rehearsal’s sake, let’s hope he comes right on time,” you replied, turning your attention toward the stage and queueing the actors to begin the scene again. 

Later, when the cast and crew were taking the evening meal break, you were eating a tea sandwich when you felt a cramping in your stomach. You let out yet another deep breath as you waited for it to pass, and when it did you finished your sandwich slice and walked away from the table in search of some tea. Before you could locate any though, Madeline made her way over with a concerned look on her face. “Everything all right? You look worried,” you said. “I saw you talking with Rich, is he still feeling okay with his part?”

“Rich is fine, it’s you I’m worried about,” she said, her eyebrows scrunching as she surveyed your face and then your stomach. “Are you having contractions? Do you think you could be in labour?”

“These? These are nothing, just Braxton-Hicks contractions, I’m fine-” you tried to say but were cut off when another one started. When the cramping started to subside, you grit your teeth a bit and smiled, telling her, “Nothing I can’t handle!”

“Nuh uh, you’re going to the hospital,” she said, grabbing your hand and leading you toward the door, calling out to the cast to take the rest of the evening off. 

“Maddie, I-” you tried to protest, but were cut off. 

“Your contractions are getting closer and closer together, and clearly they aren’t getting any better with walking because that’s what you’ve been doing all evening! You’re in labour and you’re going to have this baby!” she rebutted, digging for her keys. When she found them and unlocked the car, she escorted you into the passenger seat. 

As you thought back to everything your doctor had told you, you relented, sighing as you fished your cell out of your cardigan pocket. Madeline navigated the traffic to your planned hospital and you selected a contact from your list, putting the device to your ear as you waited for the line to pick up. You let out a quiet sigh of relief when it did, and you found your voice trembling as you said, “Hey ‘Mione, I… I was just wondering if you could get in contact with George for me?”

“Of course, is everything all right?” Hermione asked, concern evident in her voice. 

You let out a quiet laugh before you responded. “Well, I was at rehearsal and Maddie thinks I might be in labour, so we’re off to the hospital. I know George is probably busy at work, so I just thought that maybe you could get into contact with him easier than I could right now.”

“O-of course! I’ll head there right away!” she said, and while she was clearly shocked, you could also hear the smile in her voice. 

“Thank you, you’re a lifesaver,” you told her, another deep breath being blown out as another contraction hit you. “Make sure he gets the bag from home before he heads my way, it’s got everything in it. Thank you again.”

By the time you walked into the labour and delivery triage area, your water broke, and before you knew it, you were in a room getting changed into a hospital gown and being told that you were already nearly ready to deliver. Madeline held your shaking hand as you sat on the edge of the bed to begin signing papers the nurse handed you. When the nurse left and informed you that she would be back within a few minutes, you finally let your tears fall. “What’s wrong?” Madeline asked softly as she let go of your hand and ran a hand up and down your back. 

“I-I’m just scared, what if they can’t get here in time? I don’t want to do this without George or Mum, and-” you started to say, but were cut short when the door opened after a quiet knock. You let out a sigh of relief when you saw George enter followed shortly by your mother and Arthur. “You made it!” you said, your voice tight with emotion. 

“Of course I did, I wouldn’t miss this for the world,” George assured you as he sat your hospital bag down beside the bed and leaned down to kiss your lips gently. He kneeled down and took your left hand in his, wiping tears from your cheeks with the other as he asked, “Are you ready?”

“I am now that you’re here,” you whispered, nodding excitedly before kissing him once again. 

“Well, I think that’s my queue,” Madeline said as she stood from the bed beside you and began walking toward the door. “Keep me updated. I can't wait to meet the little guy!”

“Will do!” you called to her as she opened the door and exited, leaving you with your family. 

Your mum took Madeline’s place beside you and pulled you into a hug, telling you, “I’m so proud of you.”

“Wait til he’s here to say anything like that,” you joked as you hugged her back. You relaxed into her embrace and added, “I’m glad you’re here, though.”

“Of course, sweetheart,” she replied, pulling away from the embrace. “You dad’s finishing up at work and then he’ll be waiting until he’s cleared to come see you three.”

“And I told Molly that I would go get her when things have settled down a bit,” Arthur said. “Thank you for letting me be a part of this, I can’t wait to see things done the Muggle way!”

“Well you’re in for a treat then,” you said with a quiet laugh. When you finished that statement, there was another knock at the door and your nurse came in with a smile on her face. 

“Hello everyone! And who may you all be?” she asked as she washed her hands and donned her gloves before approaching the bed with a couple of devices in her hands. 

“This is my mum, husband, and father-in-law,” you replied, pointing to each person in turn. You looked at the devices in her hands and asked, “What are those?”

“Oh these are just devices to tell us how baby is doing in relation to your contractions,” she replied as she helped you sit up so she could fasten the belt around you. When she got the sensors placed where she needed, a monitor above your head turned on and the nurse pointed out, “Now, there is the baby’s heartbeat and the line below it will show your contractions!” 

“Fascinating!” Arthur said as he glued his eyes to the monitor. 

The nurse laughed light heartedly before telling you, “You progressed quite far into your labour before coming in, so I don’t exactly trust your pain tolerance. That’s why we’re putting you on the monitor, just to make sure things are running smoothly and to help determine how far along you are.” You nodded and let out a huff of amusement at the comment as she walked out, promising that the anesthesiologist would be with her next time for the epidural. 

“Doesn’t trust your pain tolerance?” George asked when she was out of the room. 

“I really didn’t think they were that bad,” you said as you relaxed into the bed once more, only cringing a little bit as another contraction hit you. Something dawned on you though, and you kept your voice low as you said, “Now that I think about it, my pain tolerance has been a lot higher since…”

“The Cruciatus curse…” Arthur finished for you as he dragged his eyes away from the monitor when your contraction ended. 

“Exactly,” you said. You laughed a little louder this time though and said, “However, I don’t plan on enduring pain like that again, so I’ve opted to be numbed for this.”

“Mum would be losing her mind,” George joked as he pulled a chair up beside your bed and took your hand in his. 

“But I, on the other hand, can't wait!” Arthur said, which made the tension in the air lift as everyone laughed at his excitement. 

A few minutes later, the nurse returned with the anesthesiologist. As he set up his supplies, the nurse asked, “Okay, Dad, how are you with needles?”

“Oh, I, uh, I guess I’ve never thought about it,” George replied, being taken aback by the unexpected question. 

“Well, if you don’t think you’ll pass out, I’ll have you support Mum while we get the epidural in, that sound okay?” she asked. “We find it that mums are more comforted by their partners than us nurses, but of course if you start to pass out, I will ask you to sit.” 

“Got it,” George said hesitantly as he took his place in front of you, now with your legs dangling over the side of the bed. 

“Okay, now Mum, just lean forward into Dad’s arms and you’ll feel a big poke when I put the needle in,” the anesthesiologist told you and you complied, leaning forward into George’s embrace. 

“Deep breaths you two. Don’t lock your legs, Dad,” the nurse said from her place a few steps to the side of George. 

As you and George breathed deeply together, he looked down at the needle the man was poking into your back and his eyes widened at the size of it. When he did, he suddenly felt his head get fuzzy, so he closed his eyes and snuggled into your hair, placing a kiss to the crown of your head as he did. George felt you flinch so he assumed the needle was in, and within seconds the man behind you said, “Okay you two, the catheter’s in! We’ll get you hooked up to the meds and you’ll be numbed up pretty quickly.” 

“Thank you,” you replied in a strained voice, letting out a deep breath as another contraction hit you. 

Once everything was done, you began to lean back onto the bed when George stopped you, saying, “Wait, the needle!” 

“Closed your eyes huh?” the anesthesiologist asked with a good natured chuckle. “The needle is just to penetrate the skin and get into the epidural space, it’s out now, no worries.” 

“Oh, got it,” George said with a relieved sigh leaving his chest before he began helping you get comfortable on the bed once more. 

When he got you situated, the nurse smiled once more before telling you, “Okay Mum, now you’re progressing nicely, and with the epidural you won’t feel as much. But if you feel the need to push, you call me okay?” 

“Sounds good,” you replied. 

“And Dad, just keep doing what you’re doing to make her comfortable, and I think we’ll be done within the next few hours!” 

“That I can do,” George replied, sitting back down in his chair beside you.

Around half an hour later, you sighed in contentment as the effects of the medication kicked in and the cramping and pain of labour began to subside. George smiled and squeezed your thigh, but when he didn’t get a response, he asked, “You okay?” 

“Huh?” you asked, opening your eyes and looking in his direction. You looked down at his hand and laughed quietly before saying, “Oh, that. I can’t feel anything down there, love.” 

“Nothing?” George asked, his eyebrows crinkling in confusion. 

“Nothing!” 

“Blimey, the wonders of Muggle medicine!” Arthur said as he wandered over and wiggled your feet to see if you could feel it. You laughed as he did, and your mum began telling everyone how it was to give birth to you without the medication you were on. 

“So when Molly gave birth to the twins, they had to cast the Imputerable charm on the area of the ward because it was such a hard delivery!” Arthur said with a laugh as he finished telling yet another story of how birthing worked at St. Mungo’s. 

You laughed lightly and squeezed the hand of a blushing George, and leaned over to kiss his reddened cheek. When you did though, you felt a strange sensation wash over you and you whispered to George, “The baby…”

“What about the baby?” George asked, eyes wide as he sat up straighter in his chair. 

“Is he coming? Do you need to push?” your mum asked as she and Arthur stood up from their place on the room’s couch. 

“I… I think so,” you replied in a breathless whisper. 

A wide grin spread over her face as she swooped over to wrap you in a hug for a few moments before saying, “Okay, come on Arthur, let’s give the kids some space. I’ll send the nurse back in here, honey.”

“Thank you, Mum,” you whispered, wiping a tear from your cheek as you watched her leave the room. 

“Are you ready for this?” George asked as he took your hand in his once more. 

“I’m scared, but I’m ready,” you confirmed, a small smile on your wavering lips. 

“You’ll do amazing, and I’ll be right here by your side the whole time,” George told you, planting a kiss on your forehead. 

Within moments, the nurse came in and began pulling back your covers to see what was going on. Her mouth dropped into a small ‘o’ shape before she ran to the door and shouted for someone to call the doctor. “Okay, Doc is just down the hall and coming here, he is just about ready to come out!” the nurse told you as she began moving the pieces of the bed so your legs would be in the proper position for the delivery. 

When the doctor came in, everything happened in a blur of pushing, some pressure, and lots of encouragement from George and the nurse. Soon enough, it all ended with the sound of your baby’s first cry as he finally arrived! Assessments were done on both you and the baby, and within a few short minutes you were relaxing back into the bed with the little bundle of joy that was Fred on your chest. “Welcome to the world, Freddie,” you whispered as you kissed his little forehead and he snuggled into the warmth of your chest. You looked at George who had tears in his eyes and whispered, “Your dad’s happy to finally meet you!”

“That I am, and I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure no one ever hurts you. I promise,” he mumbled, his voice wavering as he undoubtedly was thinking about his little boy’s namesake. 

The two of you bonded with Fred over the next hour, both doing kangaroo care with him during that time. After you worked with the lactation nurses to get Fred to latch to begin eating for the first time and he ate successfully for a few minutes, your primary nurse came into your room to check on you. “How are we doing? Feeling okay Mum?” she asked as she put on her gloves. 

You let out a quiet sigh as you held a now sleepy Fred close and admitted, “I feel a little light headed…”

“Oh, okay, let me just check something,” she said quietly before pulling your covers back to assess everything going on down there. 

Within seconds, she was massaging your belly and hitting your call button to get some help in the room. “What’s going on?” you asked, eyes wide as another nurse came in and began helping your nurse set up an IV pump and another rolled in a cart of supplies. 

“You’re bleeding a bit more than we would like you to be right now, so we’re just going to massage your uterus and give you some meds to make sure you’re contracted so the bleeding stops, okay?” she asked in a calm manner as she began working in tandem with her team in relative silence. 

“B-bleeding?” you asked, feeling your heart speed up at the words. You had read about postpartum haemorrhage and it was one of the things you had been hoping wouldn’t happen to you after delivering Fred…

Seeming to sense your stress, Fred began fussing on your chest and your nurse smiled softly at both you and George, telling him, “Dad, if you could please take baby for a few minutes while we work. Feel free to step out in the hall if you want.”

“George, I’m scared…” you whispered as you handed Fred over with shaking hands. 

“I’m not leaving,” he replied as he got Fred comfortable on one arm and held your hand with his free hand while he bounded the baby gently. 

“Thank you,” you replied in a shaky voice. You turned your head away from the team working on your right side and focused on your little family on your left as you tried to keep your breathing as even as possible, all things considered. After a few seconds of looking into George’s comforting eyes, you began to close yours and relax into the pillow behind you. 

“Hey, hey, hey, don’t close your eyes. Keep looking at us,” George said urgently which prompted you to snap them back open. “There you are,” he said with a smile on his lips. “Just keep those eyes open and stay with us, okay?”

A few hours, a unit of blood, and a bag of oxytocin later, you were on your way to the postpartum unit of the hospital to be monitored until you and Fred were both ready to discharge. As you held your baby close and relaxed into George’s embrace, your head turned toward the door when you heard a knock and a few familiar voices entering the room. 

The first to visit the three of you was of course both sets of parents, all of whom gushed over Fred and passed him around amongst themselves carefully as you all chatted, omitting the part about you almost bleeding out from Molly… After both sets of grandparents got their first fill of baby time, the next few hours were spent with scattered visits from family and friends alike. You drifted in and out of naps during this time, but were grateful to George for entertaining the company and ensuring that you got the rest you needed after everything you just went through. 

The next few weeks were definitely a transition period for the both of you, and you and George learned to manage time for yourselves, the baby, and your jobs. Things were rough going at first, but with help and advice from friends and family, and of course a whole lot of magic on George’s part, the two of you got into the swing of things and were beginning to navigate the transition into parenthood with only a few mishaps here and there. The last year had been a hard one on your mental health, but seeing the little miracle you and George made as you put Fred down to sleep at night made it all feel like it was worth it.

******

brooke’s chapter commentary: my totally honest disclaimer for any inaccuracies - i wrote this when i was doing a class that had a lot to do with the pregnancy and birthing process, i have never had (nor do i plan on having) kids, so🤣 OKAY THE BERTIE BOTS SCENE I THOUGHT WAS SO CUTE, AND IT HAPPENED SO ORGANICALLY! I TEARED UP WHEN IT ENDED UP ON MY DOC BC ITS SO GOSH DARN CUTE 🥰😭 you guys, the scene with the bath was EVERYTHING to me! i just KNOW that george would be the absolute sweetest and most caring husband to his wife, especially on her bad days. when i was writing this chapter, it never occurred to me until then that wizards likely have never really dealt with needles? like…they have magical cures and fixes for everything, they don’t seem to need things that require needles, so that was a fun thought to run with. baby fred is here!! i’m so in love with their family dynamic, i CANT😭🥰 also, yes we stan Molly, but it’s absolutely canon in the books that she has a mistrust of muggle medicine, so it was included🤣

as always, likes and comments are appreciated! xo, brooke <3

taglist: @willowlovestheweasleys @v1ckycheesue @superduckmilkshake @5starl1ght @oneandonlybbygrl

[seungiepop]

11:29 am ✰

Park Jongseong x gf!reader

wc: 1.1k

caution: mention of drugs, cursing, smut

masterlist

∘ ₒ ✰ ∙ ✧ ₒ ∙ ★ ∘ ₒ

Patiently waiting for her boyfriend's text, Y/n sat down on her vanity chair applying her favorite lip balm. Exams were finally over and all she wanted to do was smoke with her boyfriend and forget about everything she studied for. When Jay saw the message from his girlfriend he immediately packed her up some treats and headed out the door.

Pulling into her street he sent her a quick message letting her know he had arrived.

Slipping into his hoodie and grabbing the money from her drawer, Y/n walked down the stairs of her apartment sliding on her slippers and opening the front door. Heading towards the parked car on her driveway, she opened the car door and leaned down. The sight of her boyfriend wearing a hoodie and some sweats made her bite her lip, why did he make everything look so good? she frowned in slight jealousy. “Hey” she breathed out, stepping into the car and closing the car door.

Adjusting her body to face him she grabbed the money from her pocket and handed it to him.

Jay looked down at the bills in her hand and chuckled, he opened his compartment slot and grabbed the brown paper bag he packed for her. “I added a few extra items I thought you might enjoy!” he tells her before placing the bag on her lap.

She pouted, waving the money in his face “Here!” she tells him.

“Baby you know I don’t take any type of payment from you unless is fucking in the back of my car!”

He spoke with an amused smirk watching her put the money away and lean against the seat compartment. “I missed you..” she hummed, slightly pushing back the hood he had on and running her fingers through his silver hair. Jay cooed, taking her hand and placing a chaste kiss on her knuckle “missed you too pretty girl, feels like I haven’t seen you in so long” Jay murmured, leaning closer to her face and placing a kiss on her cheek.

Y/n smiled “M’sorry, i’ve been so busy with my finals for uni-“ she mumbled, her smile widen when he pressed his lips onto her. Moaning at the slight taste of weed, her hands cupping his jaw when she felt him tilt his head and deepen the kiss. Before pulling away fully, she placed one last kiss on the corner of his lips. Giggling at his blissed out face, she looked down at her lap and ripped open the bag to see what was inside.

There were two medium size bags filled of big nugs of weed, two cart boxes and a bag of sour gummy worm edibles, he even packed her a few pre rolls. Looking at the two carts, she frowned, remembering that her brother Sunghoon broke the pen Jay had given her as a gift for her birthday. “I won’t be able to use the cart for a while, hoon broke my pretty pink pen you gave me for my birthday and I haven’t been able to buy a new one.” She tells him, opening the bag of gummy worms and placing four into her palm.

Popping two in her mouth, she chewed on the gummy sweets and signaled Jay to open his so she could place the other two treats in his mouth, “You should have told me about the pen, I could have gotten you a new one, you know I wouldn’t have minded”

Telling him it was fine, she placed her items on the dashboard of his car, hopping over to the driver seat and setting herself on his lap. Not wasting a second to lean down and kiss him, feeling slightly buzzed from the gummies. The thin shorts slid to the side so the only fabric between them was her soaked underwear.

Jay pulled away from her lips and looked down at their lower half, groaning as her wet core grinded itself on his covered hard on leaving a wet patch on the fabric of his sweats. Slipping his hand in between their bodies, he moved the damped fabric to the side and rubbed her clit with his thumb. Y/n choked up a moan at the sudden touch, her hand gripping on his shoulders, she bit her lip in pleasure as she continued to move her hips. “Just like that!” Jay moaned out, throwing his head back against the leather seat.

Getting annoyed of the many layers of clothes between them Jay gripped her waist to stop her movements, pulling out his hard cock from his sweatpants. Y/n didn’t waste any time getting on her knees and grabbing the base of his cock, lining his tip against her awaiting entrance. Slowly she sank down on his cock, throwing her head back from the intense pleasure she felt throughout her body. “S’big!” she breathed out. Y/n couldn’t help but want more, the feeling of his cock dragging itself against her gummy walls made her thighs shake. It’s been so long since Jay has been able to fuck her proberly that she almost bursted into tears.

“Fuck baby I almost forgot how good you felt around me!” he let out, eyes screwing shut when she clenched around him.

Knowing they were both so close to cumming, Jay stilled her hips and began thrusting into her.

The new angle almost being too much, that the tip of his cock hitting the spot that made her roll her eyes back and make her see stars. It didn’t take too long before she was cumming hard around his cock, her hand placed over her mouth to muffle her uncontrollable moans. Her mind went blank from the pleasure she felt around her body. Jay cursed as he came inside her, thrusting his hips a few more times, not wanting her to leak any of his cum out.

Y/n laid herself against his chest completely out of breath, her sore thighs still shaking from her intense orgasm. Jay kissed her shoulder and leaned back against the seat feeling exhausted “you okay?” he asked, looking down at her and cleaning off the sweat dripping the side of her forehead. Nodding against his chest she looked up and tilted her chin to peck his lips “never felt better”. Grabbing the rolled up joint and lighter from his cup container, lighting up the pot he took a few off the joint before passing it down to his girl.

Who was basking in the peaceful music of the radio and the feeling of her boyfriends soft cock still inside her, completely forgotten about her stupid exams

[hee-blee-art]

matteo really likes tiernan's hands. bonus (more suggestive) tiernan hand appreciation post here [link].

[image ID: a four page greyscale comic featuring matteo (they/he), a thin werewolf with light skin, long dark hair, stubble, and dark body hair, wearing a collared shirt and square glasses; and tiernan (she/he), a tall fat vampire with medium dark skin, dark locs dyed light on the ends, and thick eyebrows dressed in a collared shirt and an apron. comic transcript:

[tiernan stands at a counter kneading a lump of dough. her hands, arms, and apron are covered in flour. matteo sits at a dining table with a pen and paper, watching her hands as she works, enchanted and blushing lightly. tiernan notices and smirks.] tiernan: what're you starin' at, pretty boy? matteo: [flustered, looking away] hm? oh, ehm, nothing. tiernan: nothin', eh? matteo: mm. tiernan: [smug] am I distracting you, matteo? matteo: [hesitates, leaning into their hand and tapping their pen] ...you're busy. tiernan: [picking up the dough to put in a bowl] for now. I can distract you some more when I'm done, but you'll have to be patient. think you can do that for me, sweetheart? matteo: [looking down at his papers]...yes. tiernan: [from out of frame] good boy. [matteo blushes deeper and bites the side of the hand he's leaning his head on, furrowing his brow, very flustered.]

end transcript and end ID.]

[existentialcrisis-24-7]

Hi! What are your opinions on the leaks of the new season of Winx? Did you like the animation or the costumes?

My feelings on the new leaks are mixed.

On one hand, I'm a bit iffy on some of the designs (*cough* Stella *cough*), but on the other hand, I see where they were going with it and I think most of them will grow on me. The transformations I'm not hugely fond of, especially since Rainbow is leaning towards full reboot, so these being the starter transformations just doesn't sit right with me. They feel a bit busy while also being a bit lacking in personality (except Musa, who always get the best transformations and now is no exception). And the wings, while unique compared to the past few we've got, they all feel like the same shape. They are far more personalised, though, which I do like.

I am hard side-eyeing the fact that Musa seems to be lacking monolids in the final design. They could include that in the concept art, but not the actual show??

As for the animation, I think they're doing a pretty good job for the medium! I prefer 2D over 3D, especially for winx, but I understand why they made the decision, and I think they're making the best of it. I have a small feeling that the transformations will be a little lacklustre, but that tends to be a given in 3D if it's not a million dollar Disney movie. Honestly, as long as the story is good, the animation doesn't have to be amazing. Flora's transformation looks well-done for what we've seen.

Things I'm very excited about, though, are 1. the voice-acting, and 2. the new Alfea design.

The voices they used in the teaser are, imo, amazing choices! They sound, to me, like a good mix between the cinelume dub and the 4kids dub, which not only adds to the familiarity but also, the og voices were well cast and reflected the personalities in a way these new voices seem to do. Special mention to Flora's VA sounding Hispanic to reflect her being coded as Latina. Also, Tecna's made me laugh because she sounds like every emo character ever, and the contrast between her original personality and the emo voice is hilarious. Not bad, but certainly strange.

As for the new Alfea, I love it. It looks fantastic! It certainly sets a precedent for the environments we'll see throughout the show, and I really hope they live up to it. The classrooms look fabulous and the individual rooms we've seen (Wizgiz, Palladium, Faragonda, the dorm common area, the library) are all detailed in the best way. They have so much personality and the architecture is stunning. Even if the show ends up bad, if the scenery is even half as good as the concept art, I'll be happy.

Overall, I have my gripes, but I knew from the first announcement that I would. Rainbow can't please everyone, and even if they're doing a lot to please the older fans, it has to still be able to draw in a new audience. This reboot is a huge gamble for them, so I'll remain cautiously optimistic and try to not bash on it before it comes out.

[maritessa]

Love, Laughter, and Lipstick: A Recipe for Romance (Maybe)

Katsuya and Maya, despite dating for months now, are finally going on their overdue first date. Everyone's excited except Katsuya doesn't really have a lot of experience in dating so he goes to his little brother, Tatsuya for help.

Story undercut

Tatsuya was minding his own business, solving a Rubik's Cube on the dining table when he heard a plate plopped in front of him. He looked away from his toy and saw that his brother, Katsuya, had placed a huge portion of medium-rare ribeye steak before him.

Tatsuya was apprehensive by the sudden appearance of his favorite meal. He looked up at his brother, who had a small smile on his face, and raised a brow. Tatsuya didn't trust the whole situation and demanded an explanation but Katsuya didn't seem to catch the signals he was trying to send.

“Okay, just, tell me what you want,” Tatsuya sighed.

“Excuse me?” Katsuya answered, taken aback by the unexpected response. He was looking forward to seeing his brother excited over the fancy meal he prepared.

Tatsuya pushed back his hair and shook his head. “Whenever you ‘feel like making steak’, you want to ask me for something. Just tell me what it is.”

Katsuya awkwardly coughed and looked away from his little brother. It was true that he needed Tatsuya for something but he didn't realize that there was a pattern to his actions. He scratched the back of his head to brush the slight embarrassment of his predictability away.

“So?” Tatsuya tilted his head to the side.

“Well…” Katsuya inhaled before continuing. “Amano-kun and I finally have the opportunity to go out on a date soon….” 

Tatsuya rolled his eyes but Katsuya ignored his reaction to continue, “... and I wanted to ask for some advice. Where do you take Jun-kun when you go on dates?”

Tatsuya gave his brother a skeptical side-eye and rudely pointed his fork at his brother.  “Before that, you're aware that Jun is male, right? He may look beautiful but he's a man.”

“Yes, he is a nice boy.” Katsuya nodded, unsure as to why Tatsuya felt the need to put emphasis on the obvious. 

“So if you want to know where to take a woman, it would be better to ask a woman.”

“I did think of that but I thought it would be inappropriate to talk about my dating life with a female co-worker.” Katsuya sighed deeply.

When he and Maya started dating, Katsuya picked up the habit of calling Maya when his shift ended. He would update her on how his day went and he'd tell her his plans that night. When his co-workers questioned the sudden spike of his phone calls, he honestly answered their queries. 

“I was just informing my lover that my work for the day is done,” Katsuya replied seriously.

The whole room went silent and everyone turned to look at Katsuya. Katsuya wasn't sure but he thinks he saw the chief drop his cup of coffee. 

“You have… you have a girlfriend, Katsuya-san?” A brave female co-worker spoke up. All of the other women in the room leaned in closer.

“Yes.” Katsuya blushed at the rare opportunity to directly call Maya his ‘girlfriend’ which caused everyone in the room to gasp in shock.

Katsuya felt a chill down his spine when he witnessed more than half of the room taking in a deep breath. 

“Katsuya-san!!!” His junior called out to him. “It's unfair for you to get a girlfriend when you're always working so seriously!!!” 

“I suppose it is inappropriate for me to discuss such matters in the workplace. Very well, thank you for correcting me.” Katsuya patted the shoulder of his junior and packed up his items. 

Unbeknownst to him, the whole female population of the office was cursing his junior for not letting him spill more details. Just who was that amazing woman who broke Katsuya's walls?!

Katsuya remembers the discomfort he felt for a whole week after that revelation. He couldn't shake off the feeling that he was being watched.

“I thought of asking Serizawa-kun but she might tell Amano-kun about my plans and I want it to be a surprise.” Katsuya continued enumerating his missed options. 

“Baofu has experience with women but who's to say he wouldn't tell his Serizawa-kun about our discussion.

“I also thought about asking Mother but... I just can't get the courage to actually go through with it…”

Tatsuya nodded. As much as he hated being subject to the conversation, he can't imagine allowing their mother to help plan Katsuya's first date. He could imagine the whole household being involved in planning this date since his brother never really showed interest in romance before he went out with Maya.

“So, I'm your only choice, huh?” stated Tatsuya bluntly as he took a bite on his steak.

“Yes, so please just answer me honestly,” Katsuya pleaded. 

Tatsuya closed his eyes and pondered. “We walk around fields and gardens.. Sneak into each other's schools? I take him on motorcycle rides….” 

“What do you do?”

“Nothing really.” Tatsuya shrugged. “Just hang out.” 

Katsuya raised a brow at his brother and leaned in as if he was doing an interrogation. 

“Are you sure you're treating Jun-kun well?” Katsuya asked in a stern tone.

The sharp “Ha?” rolled out of Tatsuya’s tongue almost instantaneously. He was clearly offended by the accusation. “We're in different schools so we don't have time to meet in the first place. When I get to Kasugayama, it's already late.

“Besides, Jun doesn't fare well in crowds and he prefers looking at the flowers. He talks non stop whenever we go to the gardens and they change their decorations seasonally so we go there frequently. There was one time I did try to surprise him by bringing him to a floral-themed cafe but he got scouted by multiple modeling agencies when I left him to go to the restroom. He felt uncomfortable so I don't think we'll be going back to the city any time soon…” 

As Tatsuya rambled on, Katsuya couldn't help but feel his face heat up at the extremely rare sight of his brother making a soft and gentle expression. He hasn't seen such a small yet pure smile from Tatsuya in a long time. Katsuya couldn't help but hold his breath.

“What, huh, why am I talking to you about this?!” Tatsuya blushed, realizing how much he blabbered about his boyfriend and to his brother, no less. Katsuya looked away as a form of respect.

“Anyway,” Tatsuya coughed sheepishly. “Just take Maya-nee anywhere as long as you can talk.”

“I can't do that.” Katsuya shook his head. “I'm worried about haphazardly choosing a place she might not like.”

“I don't think Maya-nee is the type of person to be picky about these types of things.” 

“I won't deny that but she's an editor for a teen magazine. I'm sure she's been to all of the trendy places and she's tried all of the best food in Sumaru.” Katsuya felt the need to put emphasis on Maya's love for food and Tatsuya nodded, understanding where his brother's concerns were coming from.

“Then…” Tatsuya took another bite from his steak, consuming about three-fourths of the meal. “Why not just bring her some of your cooking?” 

“What do you mean?” Katsuya asked, surprised by the suggestion. 

“If you want something she's never had then you can just make her one of your cakes or something.”

“That's true….” Katsuya rubbed his chin, already crafting a recipe at the top of his head. 

“Can I compete with a professional's baking though….” Katsuya sighed to himself.

“Didn't you wanna be a patissier?” Tatsuya said as he took his last bite of his steak. “Are you telling me you had that dream while being such a wimp? After feeding me hundreds of cakes against my will?”

“... Okay,” Katsuya smiled. “I suppose I do want to share that side of me with Amano-kun.”

Tatsuya dropped his fork on his empty plate and whispered a “thank you for the food” under his breath. He stood up and headed for the door. 

“I gotta say I didn't expect to have this conversation with you,” said Tatsuya, looking  back at his brother. “I'll ask Jun if he has other ideas.” 

Tatsuya left the room but not before he could hear his brother reply with a “thanks”. 

___

“Katsuya-san, good evening!” Jun greeted Katsuya as he entered the living room. Behind him stood Tatsuya who had two helmets under both of his arms.

Katsuya looked up from his laptop and smiled. “Jun-kun, how have you been?”

Jun deftly removed his shoes and sat on the sofa opposite of Katsuya. Tatsuya left the room to leave his and Jun’s belongings in his room. 

“I'm okay. I heard from Tatsuya that you and Maya-nee are going on your first date soon?” Jun said excitedly. Jun doesn't typically get this excited but seeing Katsuya fretting about making Maya happy made him feel like he had some sort of solidarity with Katsuya. Outside of Katsuya being his boyfriend's brother, of course. 

“Yeah, yes….” Katsuya responded, surprised by Jun’s enthusiasm. “I've been asking Tatsuya for advice but I haven't gotten a full idea on what to do yet.”

“That's alright.” Jun smiled. “Planning the date is part of the fun of it.”

Before Katsuya could continue their exchange, Tatsuya entered the room again and patted Jun on the head to grab his attention. 

“Jun, what do you want to drink?” Tatsuya asked, slightly ruffling Jun’s hair. 

“Hm....” Jun closed his eyes in thought. “Peach tea please!”

Tatsuya nodded and walked off to check the options they had in the refrigerator. Of course there was water; Oolong tea; Pocari Sweat that Katsuya stores in case someone gets sick; milk but it's mostly for Katsuya’s baking; apple juice; and his mom’s aloe vera juice. No peach tea. 

“Jun, I don't think we have Peach tea.” Tatsuya sighed, slightly disappointed at how unprepared he was to accommodate Jun's tastes. 

“Oh, that's fine. I'm good with just water then.”  Jun replied, noticing the change in Tatsuya’s mood. 

“No, no.” Tatsuya shook his head. “I'll go out and buy some right now.” 

“Are you sure?” 

“Mhmm. I'll take the bike so it'll be quick.” As he was saying this, Tatsuya grabbed his keys from the table. 

“Okay, thanks Tacchi! Stay safe, it's dark out.” 

Katsuya flinched at the use of his brother’s childhood nickname but Tatsuya nodded and went up the stairs to get his helmet again. Jun did nothing and simply smiled at Katsuya while staring at him. Katsuya couldn't help but feel self-conscious about Jun’s gaze so he tried to strike up a conversation. 

“You came straight from school, right?” Katsuya said sheepishly. 

“Yes. Tatsuya picked me up.” Jun said blankly and went back to staring at Katsuya. It was silent between them so you could clearly hear Tatsuya yelling “where did I put my wallet?!” from his room, along with the rustling of his items. 

“Are your parents okay with this?” Katsuya asked. 

“Yes. They know Tatsuya and you're here so it's okay.” Jun replied. 

…..

…......

….........

Once again the conversation died and it killed Katsuya inside. What happened to the enthusiasm Jun showed earlier?! Why did he kill the conversation immediately?

“I found my wallet, I'm leaving now!” Tatsuya yelled out from the front door and slammed it shut. Shortly, the sound of his motorcycle driving off could be heard at a distance. 

“Okay, we have time to talk without Tatsuya so you can be honest with me, Katsuya-san.” Jun’s enthusiasm returned.

“Hm? What do you mean?” Katsuya asked, unsure about Jun’s sudden change in demeanor. 

“I knew Tatsuya would go out to buy some tea for me so I picked one that's hard to find.” Jun smiled widely. “The stores near here are out of stock.”

Katsuya wasn't sure on how to feel about Jun’s scheming but he could see where the boy was coming from. His brother did seem a bit avoidant when it came to discussing his experiences on romance so Jun was right to buy them time to discuss. 

“Tatsuya's shy about these things so it'll be a bit hard to discuss your date in front of him,” said Jun as if he had read Katsuya’s thoughts. 

“Wow Jun-kun, you really thought about this.” Katsuya nodded his head in amazement. He couldn't help but admire Jun’s foresight on the whole matter. 

“Of course! This is a very important day for you and Maya-nee which is also why I brought someone else who can help.” Jun exclaimed as he stood up from his seat. 

Katsuya tilted his head to the side, wondering who this surprise guest could be. 

Jun knocked on the front door and shouted, “Okay! You can come in now!”

“Is the stage ready!” A deep voice yelled from the other side. 

Jun rolled his eyes and turned to Katsuya. “Sorry Katsuya-san, this will be quick.” 

Jun turned off the lights and pulled out a flashlight.

“It's ready now!”

Suddenly, the door busted open and there stood a tall figure, his right hand draped over his face, his left arm hugging his body, and his left foot was on a tiptoe. Jun pointed the beam of light at the door and revealed that it was none other than Eikichi “Michel” Mishina from Gas Chamber in their presence. The surprise guest swaggered his way to the living room, with a beat on his step, and his chest puffed out. Of course, Jun’s flashlight followed his every move. 

“The Great Michel is here to save the day,” Eikichi pulled out a blue rose from his breast pocket and posed in front of an extremely lost and confused Katsuya. 

Jun clapped his hands and Eikichi returned the flower prop to his best friend. Katsuya and Eikichi have met before, once or twice. Maybe even three times if you count Katsuya breaking up fights Kasugayama High students started in the streets. Okay, maybe three is a bit too humble. Probably about five times. Still, Eikichi didn't seem to be fazed by this fact and he turned the lights back on by his own will.

“Since Michel is seeing a woman I thought it would be good to have his opinion too.” Jun explained, seeing Katsuya’s blank expression. 

“Leave it to me. The ladies always scream when they see me in the flesh,” Eikichi winked. 

Katsuya was stunned beyond belief. He always saw Jun as a proper, shy, and soft-spoken boy; the complete opposite of his brother. He figured that Jun was an honor student who hung out with grade-conscious individuals and listened to classical music. He didn’t expect the former Head Boss of Kasugayama High to be his friend and for Jun to go along with Eikichi’s antics.

He pinched the skin in between his eyebrows and sighed out loud, “I can't believe I'm asking high school students about my love affairs... Is this appropriate?”

“It'll be fine, Katsuya-san! Michel is a good guy and he always helps people out.” Jun vouched for his best friend. 

“That's right. Come on, Katsubro. What do you have planned out so far?” Eikichi plopped himself next to Jun on the couch opposite of Katsuya’s. 

“I'll bake her a cake,” Katsuya replied, ignoring the fact that Eikichi just called him ‘Katsubro’. 

“I heard from Tacchi that you make really good cakes.” Jun nodded seriously. “I think that's a great idea.”

“He really thinks so?” Katsuya asked. “He usually complains when I bake….”

“Really? The only complaint I got was the amount of cakes….”

“That sounds like a good plan. Ladies do like it when men are good in the kitchen.” Eikichi gave Katsuya a thumbs up. “What do you want to make her feel on this date anyway?” 

“I want to surprise her. I want her to have a memorable date.” Katsuya answered firmly.

“Memorable, huh….” Eikichi muttered, closing his eyes to think.

“That’s pretty hard to narrow down, Katsuya-san…” Jun rested his head on his hand. “I remember all of my dates with Tatsuya.” 

“Well, I especially want her to see me in a different light. Maybe to see me a bit more as someone cooler….” Katsuya blushed at his own words. He couldn’t believe he still had such childish desires.

“I got it.” Eikichi lightly tapped his palm with a closed fist at the thought of this idea. “The best way for men to show their cooler side is to have a gap between their personality and their image.”

Jun and Katsuya didn’t really follow Eikichi’s train of thought. They both looked at Eikichi with expectant eyes, waiting for him to elaborate further. At that moment, Katsuya felt like maybe Eikichi does know what he’s talking about. 

“I mean… Okay, so this comes from experience.” Eikichi put a disclaimer and also a small bit of his credential to talk about this topic. “But, as you can see, I am a very handsome, cool, man of mystery.”

“Uhuh.” Jun nodded. Katsuya didn’t react to Eikichi’s words.

“Miyabi tells me that she likes it when I tell her about my troubles because you don’t really see my sensitive side from how I look.” Eikichi continued. “Men look the coolest when they show a side of them that you wouldn’t typically see. 

“I mean, I don’t know, I don’t really look at guys that way. What do you think, Jun?” Eikichi pointed at Jun who was nodding along to Eikichi’s words the whole time.

“Hmm…. I suppose the memories that have impacted me the most are of that nature. One of my favorite things about Tacchi is that he brings me new flowers to put in my breast pocket.” Jun took out the Lily of Incas from his pocket and showed it to the group. “He puts so much thought in the meanings too, this one means that there’s such a strong connection between two people that it can’t be put into human language.”

“Woah, I definitely didn’t expect that from Tatsuya. So, that’s why you’ve been bringing different flowers?” Eikichi unconsciously raised his voice at the realization.

“Yeah,” Jun giggled to himself. “Can you imagine him going to the florist’s alone?”

“Should I bring flowers to Amano-kun then?” Katsuya cut the conversation.

“That’s a good idea, I’m sure she’ll be happy!” Jun cheered.

“It is a good idea but, the thing is Katsubro, I think that’s not surprising for you.” Eikichi interjected. “You have this impression of being serious and traditional, y’know? Flowers aren’t really the most surprising things to bring on a date.”

Katsuya saw where Eikichi was coming from. To be fair, he was planning to bring Maya a bouquet of flowers even before their conversation. Isn’t it something a gentleman should naturally do?

“We can have a different approach.” Jun spoke up. “What about changing the way you call her?”

“Oooh, that’s pretty forward. I like that,” Eikichi chuckled heartily. “Why are you still calling her ‘Amano-kun’ anyway? It sounds so…. old.”

Katsuya swallowed the lump in his throat at Eikichi’s words. Has Maya been seeing him as old this whole time?! He didn’t want to change the way he addressed her because it seemed disrespectful. But if it made Katsuya seem old then, that’s just unacceptable.

“Yes! Why don’t you try calling her Maya?” Jun suggested with a huge smile on his face.

Katsuya tried to say her name. 

Maya. 

Two syllables. Two vowels. Two consonants. 

Maya. 

It’s so simple but how come everytime Katsuya tried to blurt out her name, he felt a heat rushing up his face?

“I, I don’t think I can do it that suddenly.” Katsuya said with bated breath.

“What? Dude, if you can’t say it now how will you say it to her face?” Eikichi voiced out seriously.

Katsuya had no response to that.

“I know! Let’s practice!” Jun stood up and got closer to Katsuya. 

“Yeah!” Eikichi followed behind Jun. “Let’s get into character, let’s change up your look so it’s even more surprising!”

Before Katsuya could protest, the two Kasugayama boys had pulled him out of his seat. Eikichi pulled out a bag and brought out several outfits that Katsuya could only wear in his nightmares. He tried to refuse them but the combined power of Eikichi’s physical strength and height added to Jun’s sweet disposition and his polite insistence was just hard to fight against. Katsuya didn’t really expect the destructive power these two best friends brought to the table but now that he’s subject to it, he wished he was at least a bit more mentally prepared. 

A few minutes had passed and Tatsuya returned from the store with a 1-liter bottle of Peach Tea on hand. Before he could open the door he could hear loud noises from inside but he couldn’t make out the words they were saying. 

“I’m back. Sorry, I took a while.” Tatsuya placed the plastic bag on the console table at the entryway. “But I got the brand that you liked, Jun.”

“Come on! Just say it, you’re already armored up!” Eikichi encouraged Katsuya.

“You can start with a ‘Maya-san’ if her first name is too intimidating. Anything to make you feel more comfortable,” Jun suggested, trying to ease Katsuya’s nerves.

“I think the first issue is the clothes, Jun-kun,” Katsuya whimpered.

Tatsuya had just entered his home but the first thing he saw was his brother’s face painted in clown white face paint; he had a heavy smokey eye; the thinnest eyebrows painted on a person; a bold blue lip; a graphic tee with the words "Fuck the Police" printed in the chiller font; a torn up denim vest; ripped skinny jeans; and 6 inch platform boots. Katsuya could barely stand. 

All that to say, they’ve cursed his brother. His boyfriend and one of his closest friends. The two didn’t even seem to be aware of their crimes; they were happily cheering for him and pressuring him into saying something.

Tatsuya briskly walked up to the two best friends and pulled them by the collar. The two immediately went silent and looked at Tatsuya with wide-set eyes. They honestly forgot about the possibility of him returning. Katsuya could’ve sworn that he saw a halo above his little brother’s head at that moment. He knew his brother was always a good boy but at that moment? Literal saint.

“Jun, I asked you for help with my brother’s date,” Tatsuya said in a terrifyingly soft tone. “You said Eikichi would be able to give good advice so we brought him here too. I didn’t want to but since you said he would be great, I believed in you.”

“I did give good advice!” Eikichi argued.

“Okay, so tell me why you made my brother look like a cursed clown.” Tatsuya snarked.

“Hey!” Eikichi lightly hit Tatsuya on his arm.

“We just gave him some of Eikichi’s clothes… To wear on the date….” Jun tried to reason.

Tatsuya rubbed his temples, picked up Katsuya’s former clothes from the coffee table, and tossed it in Katsuya's direction. He bobbed his head to gesture for Katsuya to go and change his outfit. 

“Let’s take it seriously this time and not get carried away, okay?” Tatsuya directed with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

“We did take it seriously! What do you mean-” Eikichi declared but immediately stopped on his tracks after seeing Tatsuya’s sharp glare.

“Sorry, Tacchi. I guess we got too excited.” Jun pulled on Tatsuya’s sleeve.

Tatsuya sighed and sat down on the closest couch. He knew if those two got together, it would only result in nothing but chaos. He silently apologized to his brother for not following his intuition and exposing him to the raw power of the Kasugayama students.

[dweebfics]

🍋☁️Cheetor x Cybertronian Fem! reader (ROTB)

What's up peeps

I have been so busy with life, I have not been able to make more stories. Unless I get adrenaline motivation like I did this one then its a different story.

I have been recently Cheetor deprived, not enough good fanfiction of this good boy, he deserves more attention. 😖😔

I literally wrote 2,000+ words, that's how motivated I was...😅

Let's see what I can create next.

Enjoy the fic.

Warning: Lemon and fluff

Cheetor's P.O.V

This was it... The battle was done... but far from over. We defeated Unicron for now, but we have to be ready for what comes next... I suddenly feel someone step next to me, I looked up and see y/n from the Prime's team looking at me.

"We did it.." The fem said in a whisper that I was able to catch on. I simply nodded and got closer to her. Since we were done with what was started, I wanted to tell her what I felt towards her in the short amount we were together... But something was stopping me from doing so... When I decided to speak up, Primal harshly grabbed my shoulder to congratulate me on a mission well done and y/n turned around to speak to Arcee. I simply took a deep breath and hanged my head low.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Reader's P.O.V

We all went back to the camp we made next to the village to rest for the night and plan to head out in the morning. The villagers made food and played music for us and the humans for the victory we claimed in this day. I looked at them being happy, Arcee then comes and sit down next to me and nudges me.

"Hey... Kitty over there hasn't stopped looking at you. I think someone likes you" As she said that I looked to the side and his ears perks up and quickly looks to the side. I giggled and looked back at Arcee.

"Well, maybe the feeling is mutual" I said as I leaned back and placed my weight on my arms to look up at the stars.

"Why don't you tell him something? We are leaving back to New York tomorrow... Peru is pretty far for visiting in the future... Maybe, I don't know, make it count tonight? Just saying" Arcee got up and walked away from me after saying that, I looked down and just stared at her walking away thinking of her words. I looked back at Cheetor and this time we made optic contact; he slowly perks up as I stayed staring for a bit. I then motioned to him with my helm to follow me and started to get up.

I walked towards a river that was a bit distant, I looked back and did not see Cheetor nearby. Maybe he decided not to come. I kept my pace towards the river until I arrived and sat down in front of the medium current. 6 minutes pass then I heard rustling behind me and gave a side look to see the cheetah's spots in my peripheral vision.

"I was starting to think you weren't coming" I said as I looked back at my peds inside the river feeling the freshness of the water.

"I gave you a head start before I got up, you know.. not make it look suspicious." He said while sitting next to me.

"uhu.. I understand" I said as I looked back up at him. I noticed he was a bit unsteady in his sitting position, am I making him uncomfortable or nervous?

"It's very beautiful out here... All this nature and the beautiful sky. You don't get to see a lot of stars in New York with how crowded it is of buildings, plus we always have to be in hiding." I said breaking the brief silence.

"Yeah, it really is" He said, when I looked at him, he was looking at me. I smiled down at his adorable gesture.

"You know.." I perked up at the sudden voice of the cheetah and gave him my full attention.

"I have been meaning to tell you something since we won the battle of Unicron.. or actually before we went on... but I was so scared." He explained to me and I placed my servo on his shoulder for comfort.

"You know you can tell me anything... I did bring you out here because I also have something to say, but also because I noticed you kind of staring back there" I said and he chuckled.

"Hehe... sorry about that, I did not mean to stare... I was kind of mesmerized." He said and I looked at him blinking a few times, it kind of caught me off guard but expected. I scooched a little closer catching his attention.

"What I wanted to say was... Ever since you arrived, I can't explain myself. But I have been so attracted to you and you have been on my mind nonstop since I first lay my optics on you... It might sound insane, but it is what I feel. I know it has only been a few days we have been together as a team... but I wanted to tell you how I felt. I understand if you don't..." I made him stop his words by placing my servo on top of his clawed paw. This made him look at me.

"Why don't you transform so I can kiss you properly?" I said, Cheetor was taken back, but instantly transformed and sat closer to me. I gently touched his freckled face plate and softly brought him towards me until our dermas touched softly. It was so smooth and tender... Our dermas felt like they were meant to be together. I slightly separated us and looked at him as he had a dreamy look on his face plate and he was purring. I chuckled when I looked at him.

"W-what...?" He asked getting flustered.

"Nothing, you're just so adorable. I just heard your purr; I wonder how you sound growling." I said and looked down at the river again.

"I mean... I can make that happen." He said with a sudden confidence. I smiled at him and he brought me closer, I closed the distance between us again, this time the kiss being a bit more intense. He suddenly grabbed me by my waist and brought me over his lap facing him, making me straddle him. I then felt him grinding our plates together.

"What an impatient little kitten you are... We just started" I said breaking our kiss and instantly attacking his neck cables with bites and kisses.

"I- I... can't help myself... Sorry. You're d-driving me crazy with what you're doing." He said stuttering. I stopped my kisses and went to his audial.

"Don't apologize, I like to see you all flustered under me actually" Cheetor froze completely and I felt him get warm under my touch. I giggled and continued to attack his neck. Cheetor began to whimper under me and left out a breathy moan as soon as I bit down on a certain juicy cable.

"F-frag.. y/n." Cheetor exclaimed, I backed up from his neck and gently pushed him down to the ground by his chest. I looked Cheetor up and down like a hungry predator looking at his pray, making the mech gulp a bit. I grabbed his servos and I placed them on my hips, Cheetor grabs on tightly and pull me down to grind against my plating. I threw my helm back with a moan at the sudden contact.

"Primus y/n, you're so beautiful..." Cheetor said.

"You really think so?" I asked as I looked down at the mech and started to unlatch my breast plate armor until my mounds were exposed to him.

"Mjm" He said without taking his optics away from my chest. I giggled and leaned forward, breaking his trance with a kiss. I then felt a shift of his servos from my hips to my aft and started to knead on them, making me moan into the kiss. Suddenly, I was under Cheetor and he made my legs spread a bit by him being between them. I did not had time to react as he started to attack my neck.

"Primus... you taste so delicious. I can't get enough..." He said as he started to trail his kisses down my frame until he reached my pelvic plating and releases a long and very wet lick against my plating, looking like a kitten asking permission to eat its meal. My head was spinning at all the lustful feeling I had flowing within my frame. Cheetor comes back to my faceplate and grabs me by the back of my neck to bring me into an intense and sloppy wet kiss. I moaned into the kiss as I felt his free servo playing with my nub and having our panels grind against each other, causing such an amazing friction, it automatically opened my panel, releasing my valve to the cold forest air. He instantly notices this and plays with my node, doing little circles to it.

"F-frag.. Cheetor.." I moaned out, not able to hold myself the immense pleasure. Suddenly, he started to trace my inner valve lips with two of his digits, making me bite down on my bottom derma.

"You even sound delicious with the sounds you're making... I want to hear more." He said as he dove his head to one of my breast and started to nibble on one of my nubs, I opened my optics wide, it was so much, but so good all together.

"Ah.. AH~ Sc-rap.. Ch-e... etor"

"Mmm~Can't even speak now, can ya?" He asked teasingly going back to what he was doing. I started to run my digits through his fur on his helm, encouraging him to keep doing. I then felt two digits attempting to intrude my entrance, I allowed it by opening my legs for better access. Cheetor inserted two clawed digits into me, I moaned loudly at the intrusion. This making Cheetor do a fast pace suddenly. With all this teasing... I'm already reaching my climax. It's so intense, I can almost feel the knot within my pelvis about to burst.

"Ch-EETOR!" Then he stopped... I looked at him scared that maybe something bad happened.

"Nu-uh... You can't overload just yet" I threw him a "are you serious" face and he chuckled.

"Don't worry kitten, you'll have your overload." He said as he leaned into my audial receptor.

"I just prefer to see you overload around my spike" he said in such a sensual and low tone of voice, it sent shivers down my spine. I looked down and see a very large and throbbing member starting to align against my entrance and pushed against it. It was slightly painful in the beginning, but it subsided rather quickly, much better say, it was worth the pain. I placed all my weight on my forearms, I wanted to be elevated while still laying down on the ground.

Cheetor retracted his member all to have it shoved suddenly and harshly against me, he started his pace like this until he got a good rhythm going. The intensity of his hips thrust had my whole frame shaking, my breast bouncing at his every move, my legs trembling of the pure pleasure this mech was making me feel.

"By the Gods... What a sight I have in front of me. You look so good, taking me so well Kitten..." The praises have me throwing my helm back, all I was releasing were incoherent words and sounds. My mind was not even thinking of speaking at the moment. This mech is going to make me overload and it's going to be intense.

"Be a good little femme and say my name... Who's making you whimper and moan like a crazed and needy femme"

"Ch-e Ah~"

"What was t-that kitten? didn't quite catch that"

"Cheet..s.. Ah frag~" I attempted to say his name, but I couldn't I was so close. He notices this and grabs me by the hips tightly and started to thrust in an upward/downward motion hitting every spot within me.

"That's it, overload for me baby, scream for me"

"CHEETOR! FRAG! I can't anymore.. I- I-'m so cl-" I couldn't finish my sentence as I felt my fluid gushing out onto his spike, this making Cheetor growl at the sudden tightness of my walls. He instantly pulls out and gushes all of his transfluid onto my chest, decorating my breast with his fluids.

We were both a panting mess one on top of the other. It was so intense, but so good.

"Frag~ y/n... T-that was... wow" Cheetor said at a lose of words. I ended up laying down still breathing hard, all I could say was.

"Agreed" and I proceeded to close my optics slightly. I felt Cheetor moving towards me and takes me into his embrace. I was resting my helm against his chest, I could hear his spark still pulsing fast. I felt so safe and warm in his embrace. Its a good thing I listened to what Arcee told me.

[halloiambored]

Random Snippet

CW: kidnapping and suffering, the works.

Ethan isn’t a hero.

He’s just an average guy who lives in a modest apartment on the East side of the city. He has a cat. It’s nice.

Okay, yeah - he knows things that could cripple the agency in minutes, but that doesn’t make him a hero. If anything, he’s just a liability.

“Large black coffee, please.”

This cafe is always busy around noon, conversations and kitchen clamor bleed together with the muffled chaos of the city streets.

“Sure thing. Would you like our medium or dark roast?”

“Dark would be great,” Ethan smiles weakly, thumbing through his wallet. As he pulls out a ten, his focus catches on the casual tapping of the cashier’s nails.

“Do you want room for cream and sugar?”

“Ah, nope, no thanks. Do you take cash?”

Whatever she says is lost to the ringing in his ears. A few dazed heart beats later, he remembers how to breathe. God, his life is a mess.

“Sir?”

“I uh, sorry, what did you say?” How she manages to be so kind is beyond him.

“We do! It’ll be—”

“On me! Thank you.” A gloved hand on his arm makes Ethan jump, eyes darting to the man - nope, hero - beside him. Ironically, he doesn’t recognize their suit. Ethan, the designer of every super-suit in the city, doesn’t recognize their suit.

“Really?”

“Don’t worry about it! I haven’t checked in on you in a while, it’s my treat. Hey, how’s your cat?”

Completely at a loss, Ethan stares. Something is eerily familiar about his crystal blue eyes, but he can’t place it.

“Are you okay, man? I’ve been worried about you, after everything that happened last week. Here - let’s get out of the way.”

Draping his arm across Ethan’s back, the stranger subtly shoves him toward the pickup counter.

“Look, Ethan - it is actually Ethan, right?”

“Who—”

“Oh c’mon, you don’t recognize me? Wow. Here, I’ll jog your memory.”

With a smirk, the man sends a spark of electricity racing up his spine. And sure, it’s jarring to feel his muscles flex and flutter involuntarily, but the discomfort isn’t what makes his stomach drop.

No - it’s because the villain beside him is Aaron fucking Whitehall, the ex he spent years trying to forget. Since he mentioned last week, it means he’s here because... not to…

“Oh my god.”

Like a switch, Ethan tries to squirm away. To his dismay, his strength seems to be evaporating by the second. All he manages to do before he’s slammed against the wall is knock over someone’s lunch, their plate shattering on the tile floor.

For a beat, the tension in the room is palpable. Then reality crashes back into place.

Naturally, someone’s screaming as the crowd tries to escape the henchman at the door. Ethan, though - he’s begging, eyes wide and filling with tears, hands pathetically pushing at the gloves holding him in place.

“Look, now you’ve made a scene. I was trying to be subtle, y’know. Nice. Hell, I caught you off guard in broad fucking daylight and you’re stupid enough to try to run. Aren’t you supposed to be good at your job?”

“Pleaseplea,” he chokes, breath hitching, “don’t do this, please, I don’t understand why you’re her—”

Without warning, fire. Ethan’s world is on fire.

Gasping in shock, his struggles turn frantic, panic clouding his every thought. Desperately, he coughs out, “StOP!”

“Mmm no,” Aaron continues with a malicious grin. “Instead, three things are about to happen. One, you’re going to get in my car. Two, you’re going to cooperate unconditionally. And three, you’re going to spill all of the marvelous little secrets in that pretty head of yours.”

“N-no—”

“Yeah, you will. Because if you don’t…” Aaron leans in, his breath ghosting over Ethan’s ear. Somehow, the pain gets worse, ripping a scream out of his already sore throat.

“You will suffer. I will make your life hell on earth and I will enjoy every second.”

As the rush of artificial electricity fades, Ethan falls. Even free, the designer’s lungs burn for air that doesn’t come, his body shaking uncontrollably.

“So, shall we?” Startlingly polite, Aaron turns on his heel and walks away, clearly expecting Ethan to follow.

Fuck fuck fuck, this is not going to end well.

Without missing a beat, two of the henchmen step forward to drag him along, effectively cutting off his weak protest with a knee to the gut.

“You got the wrong guy,” he wheezes, voice hoarse and charged with emotion.

After all, Ethan isn’t a hero, he’s just a liability. But if he can make Aaron believe him, if he can get out, maybe the city stands a chance.

“Yeah, sure I do.”

“No really, Aaron,” the goons throw him in the backseat, and he gracelessly scrambles away from the open door. “I work at the agency, but I’m not - they don’t trust - what secrets?”

With terrifying ease, the men drag him back to lock shackles around his wrists, the metal unforgiving.

“Oh, you don’t know anything? Seriously? After your agency leaked your name, you really think I’ll let you off that easy?”

The villain’s cruel smirk leaves nothing to the imagination. Obviously, he isn’t going to be convinced that easily. No, Aaron will ruin his dearest captive, and then some, to get what he wants.

But when Ethan finally sobs, he’s still surprised when Aaron laughs.

Why did he have to be the one to find him?

“Dam-mnit. Please, at least — I’m trying,” his already warbled voice cracks, “I trying to tell you the truth. Please. You’re going to make me go through this, you’re going to… it’s… oh my god, please let me go. I-I can’t give you information I don’t have. Aaron, plEAse!”

“Bullshit.”

At that, the car door slams in his face.

[romchat]

Cinematography of Falling in Love: Fake It Till You Make It (Ep. 6)

How do you film the complicated process of two characters falling in love?

When we talk about our favorite romantic scenes, we often point to the role of great acting or writing in creating that magical feeling all romance fans crave. But cinematography, the art of visually capturing stories through a camera, can also be a powerful tool in conveying that heady but scary feeling of falling in love.

I think a great example of this is the Chinese drama Fake It Till You Make It (FITYMI).

Set against the cutthroat world of Beijing's Central Business District, FITYMI is a story about finding authenticity and connection in an otherwise pretentious world. The show follows two professionals, Tang Ying, an ambitious attorney, and Xu Ziquan, a successful investment banker, as they navigate the social challenges of their high-pressure jobs. Ying and Ziquan constantly pretend to be more sophisticated and carefree than they truly are, and the show uses their characters to offer incisive commentary about the ways modern life forces us to compromise our sense of self in order to "make it."

It's this context that makes FITYMI such a compelling romance: despite the masks Ying and Ziquan wear in their professional and personal lives, they ultimately learn to show their true selves to one another and fall in love. And it's through the show's subtle use of composition, shot size, and camera movement that we not only see but feel the tentativeness with which Ying and Ziquan cultivate this connection. It's a messy mix of one step forward and two steps back, and the show’s cinematography beautifully matches the characters’ gradual shift from a flirtatious and tender yet largely undefined relationship to one of committed love.

I don't think any episode demonstrates this dynamic more clearly than Episode 6.

Scene 1: "When I Felt Tempted By You"

Something that I appreciate about the show's cinematography is how it treats Beijing as a secondary character. Even when focusing on our two main characters, FITYMI often uses wide shots with deep depth of field, allowing us to clearly see the hustle and bustle of city life in the background. These shots help communicate the loneliness and societal pressure always present in our characters' fast-paced lives.

Because of this, let's pay attention to how this urban background appears or disappears when Ying and Ziquan are shown spending time together.

In this scene, we see Ziquan impulsively call Ying after a difficult day at work. He's leaning against the wall in exhausted defeat, the cityscape in the background dominating the other two-thirds of the frame. He's at a low point in his career and feels isolated by his industry colleagues.

Ying knows him well enough to recognize his mood so she offers to meet and commiserate.

We can see their closeness by the immediate cut to a close-up shot with both characters similarly aligned on the left side of the frame.

So when he rejects her offer, the camera quickly reframes and pans around Ying to the other side, signaling her shift in mood.

When Ziquan gently asks why she stopped talking, there's another cut to a medium shot of Ying against a busy street backdrop. They've stumbled upon a sore spot in their more-than-just-friends relationship.

In describing the dating landscape of FITYMI, Director Li Mo has noted that in this world there is:

"An unspoken self-preservation, the fear of being seen truly, the fear of kindness being mistaken for weakness, and sincerity being seen as foolish. Within these layers is the lonely soul of the city, bearing weariness and fatigue with nowhere to vent, craving sincere relationships yet unwilling to open up due to the fear of being hurt." (translation via /u/lollipopdeath)

Ying obviously wants to be an emotional support for Ziquan and yet she's wary about being seen as the weaker one who fell in love first. She begins to retreat as an act of self-preservation and the camera language loses the intimacy of those initial shots.

Ziquan hears the disappointment in her voice and steps into the center of the frame as if sensing this is a critical juncture in their relationship that he must be fully present for. Note how the blurriness of the cityscape background creates a lot of negative space around him. He no longer cares about the outside world; all that matters at this moment is Ying.

Slightly teary-eyed but unable to fully articulate his feelings, he reiterates that he just wants to hear her voice for a bit.

But tired of the games, Ying takes a deep breath and then drops a bomb:

"Forget about that. Let's talk about us. Do you want to know when I felt tempted by you?"

What I love about this moment is that it's a moment of extreme vulnerability but shot from a slightly low angle, giving Ying a sense of empowerment. Low-angle shots can alter the power dynamics within a scene because the upward perspective highlights the importance or magnitude of a character's actions. Asking this question is incredibly brave of her, confirmed by Ziquan's shocked and overwhelmed face.

But when Ziquan doesn't immediately follow her confession with one of his own, Ying once again retreats. Hurt, she claims she was just joking to entertain him and that they can continue being friends. The camera pans and her bitterly smiling face fills the frame as if to build herself up after that blow to her confidence and pride.

The scene eventually ends with a devastating wide shot, Ying but a small figure on an empty bridge. She is still a lonely soul of the city.

Despite the numerous tender and romantic moments they had shared in previous episodes, Ying and Ziquan have firmly placed their masks back on.

Scene 2: "You're Waiting For A Worthy Rival"

Later that episode, Ziquan asks Ying out for dinner and she reluctantly agrees.

As usual, they effortlessly banter about life and love, the scene cutting back and forth between the two as they trade verbal volleys over the hotpot. Their chemistry is undeniable and you can see both reveling in the fact that they've found their intellectual match.

At one point, Ziquan begins talking about the importance of rationality in love, and Ying fires back:

"No matter how time changes, there's one thing that makes women really thrilled. If there's a man who loves her with full passion until he loses himself, until he'd die for her, until he becomes a fool, then that woman would be thrilled, you know?"

Eventually, they settle on the topic of Ying's failed first love.

Like in the previous scene, the show uses increasingly intimate close-up shots to convey the quiet vulnerability of the moment. But this time, there's a dream-like quality to the conversation: the background actors suddenly disappear and the shallow depth of field and spotlight lighting remove any remaining worldly distractions.

Unlike their previous dates that happened against the backdrop of Beijing's busy nightlife, here it's like they're in a world of their own.

As if thinking of Ziquan's earlier rejection, Ying ruefully describes how her first love taught her an important lesson:

"I swore to myself that I'd never enter an uncontrollable relationship nor become the fool who overestimated her charm in love....I should find a rich and cool old man so I won't really be in love. I'll get by with him. When he passes away, I'll inherit all his fortune and enjoy my life in his villa."

Placed in the center of the frame, she speaks directly into the camera and we see a series of emotions play across her face. It's the most revealing she's been about herself with Ziquan.

When he pushes back on the idea of her marrying without love, Ying jokingly asks "Are you jealous?"

Ziquan reluctantly shakes his head but admits:

I've never been so deeply loved by a girl. I'm not jealous--I'm super jealous. Tang Ying, you're not looking for someone out of your league. You're waiting for...a worthy rival."

His close-up matches hers in its composition.

This time, he also took off his mask.

BONUS: shout out to the funniest zoom-in of this entire show.

Seems like Ziquan is well on his way to acting like a fool in front of Ying.

[lookatmysillies]

Guardian lore for my babies!

Kele (Tallis’s guardian):

-She has a waspish body with large, grotesque eyes and a skinny, long frame

-Her voice is low and garbled; grating on the ears

-She adopted Tallis on an impulse, but then didn’t really know what to do with him. She gave him trinkets and instruments to play around with, but generally expected him to be independent and wasn’t around much. It’s not that she hates Tallis or anything, she just… didn’t realize it would be such a commitment, so she ducked out of it.

-Unlike many of the contestants’ guardians, she really wasn’t involved in show business before Tallis, but the draw of fame when others commented on Tallis’s talents hooked her to the idea. Tallis became an instrument of her own glory, and she got to be hands-off in the whole process.

-Overall not a well-liked figure amongst other aliens, making Tallis even more of an underdog than he already would be coming from such a mundane background and little to no official training before Anakt Garden

Sonii (Cas’s guardian):

-Large, shiny, and scaly, with a python-like head an a solid body.

-Intimidating but not generally volatile personality-wise

-She’s a breeder, one of the best there is. She is known for producing physically appealing and vocally talented humans. She receives a lot of profit from their successes and sales, as people will pay top dollar for her product.

-Always wearing a lot of jewelry

-She treats all of her humans well as long as they do the same for her by fulfilling their duties.

-Originally purchased Cas out of sympathy, seeing the beauty underneath his beaten figure. She sent him to Anakt Garden to receive his training, then used him as a stud for years due to his good looks and favorable qualities. Once she got a few good “litters” out of him, she let ALNST have him with some melancholy feelings, as she’d grown quite attached.

-Well-respected among alien society.

Iquia (Himei’s guardian):

-Imagine a roly poly bug, but all white with two extra antennae and a constant sort of slime sticking to its skin. That’s Iquia.

-As far as aliens go, her curiosity for humans leans more on the side of wanting to care for and admire them than experiment on them. One of the good ones, you could say.

-She’s made fun of in some circles for her compassion for humans, and respected in others.

-She adopted Himei and Hayate to care for them, cultivate their talents, and watch them grow. Once Himei was sent to Anakt Garden, Iquia missed her terribly, leading her to get another female pet human to take her place.

-Didn’t want to send Himei to Anakt Garden but was sort of pressured into it. Hayate was almost sent, but got to stay by the skin of his teeth.

-She coddles her “replacement” pet, Halo, and takes her with her everywhere like a purse dog.

-Well-meaning, but sometimes misses the mark

Nabos (Kyo’s guardian):

-Medium-sized body with a flower-shaped head.

-He has a sort of accent that’s different from many other aliens that all of his pet humans pick up on. That accent tends to be quite popular among fans. (Kyo has the accent and Cas ribs him for it.)

-He raises several pet humans at once, usually 5-7. Once they’re old enough to be sent to Anakt, he sends them if they’re talented enough—usually an average of 2 of them make the cut. If they don’t meet his standards, he sells them off and gets a new batch.

-In fact, he purchases many of his pet humans from Sonii! They’re good business partners.

-Of all the guardians listed, he has the most fame and fortune, but he always hungers for more.

-Despite sending so many contestants to ALNST, he has never won a competition. Strangely, his humans tend to make it either to the semis or the finals and lose at the very end. Other aliens in the show business call it Nabos’s Curse.

-He has no negative or positive feelings towards Kyo—he’s just one of many failures.